These curled wafers are often brought to the table at the end of a special dinner and served with chocolate truffles, coffee, and brandy. Their name is the French word for tiles, because they are shaped like the curved terra-cotta roof tiles so prevalent in the south of France. Almost paper thin, with a subtle almond flavor, tuiles are curled by being draped, while still warm and pliable, over a rolling pin until cool and firm. The step that requires attention is removing them from the baking sheet. The trick is to use a wide spatula with a very thin blade and to work very quickly. Cookie sheets need to be clean and cool before you make a new batch.
Have all ingredients at room temperature, 68┬░ to 70┬░F. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350┬░F. Very generously grease cookie sheets or cover with parchment paper or well-greased aluminum foil. Have ready several rolling pins or bottles the same width as the rolling pin to shape the wafers.
Warm, stirring constantly, over very low heat until very soft but not thin and runny:
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
Whisk together until very frothy:
2 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 1/3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Gradually whisk in:
1/2 cup sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
A bit at a time, whisk in the softened butter until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
Drop the batter by heaping measuring tablespoonfuls onto the sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart. DonΓÇÖt crowd, as the wafers will spread a great deal. Using the tip of a knife and working in a circular motion, spread each portion into a 3-inch round. Very generously sprinkle the rounds with:
1/2 to 2/3 cup sliced blanched almonds or unblanched almonds, coarsely chopped
Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the wafers are rimmed with 1/2 inch of golden brown, 6 to 9 minutes; rotate the sheet halfway through baking for even browning. Remove the sheet to a rack and let stand for a few seconds. As soon as the wafers can be lifted without tearing, loosen them with a thin-bladed wide metal spatula and slide them, bottom side down, onto rolling pins or bottles. (Remove the wafers to the rolling pins 1 at a time, so the others remain warm and pliable. If some of the wafers cool too quickly to shape on the rolling pins, return the sheet to the oven briefly to warm and soften them.) As soon as the tuiles are firm, transfer to racks to cool.
