Visitors




Tomorrow, M and I are entertaining out first guests.

It’s nothing, really – just a couple of friends coming by for a drink on a weeknight – but it feels momentous in some way. A co-habitat coming of age, perhaps.

So a treat that reflected this newfound grown up-ness and satisfied both the chocaholic child and the mature-palated adult seemed only fitting. These tuiles are just this, wafer thin and melting with a deep chocolate flavor. The nuts, just barely supported by a delicate cookie, lend a sinful creaminess to the crunch, and the parmesan and sea salt balance the richness of the tuiles perfectly, making all of the flavors resonate in sweet harmony.

Cocoa tuiles with nuts, parmesan and sea salt
Adapted slightly from “Chew Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-In-Your-Mouth Cookies” by Alice Medrich

Ingredients

-       4 tbsp butter, melted and still very warm, plus extra for greasing the pan liners
-       ½ cup sugar
-       ¼ cup natural (non-alkalized) cocoa powder, sieved after measuring
-       2 large egg whites
-       1 tbsp+ 1 tsp unbleached all-purpose flour
-       1/8 tsp salt
-       1/3 cup raw pecans, coarsely chopped
-       1/3 cup raw walnuts, coarsely chopped
-       1/3 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped
-       3 tbsp finely grated parmesan cheese
-       small amount of flaky sea salt (to taste)

1.     Preheat oven to 350F and position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Line 2 cookie sheets with foil (dull side up) and grease well with butter.

2.     In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, cocoa and salt. Whisk in egg white. Add flour and whisk until just combined. Let rest for 20 minutes.

3.     Pour half of the batter onto each cookie sheet. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the batter into an even rectangle about 9” x 13” and less than 1/8” thick. For even baking, ensure that the middle of the batter is not thicker than the sides

4.     Sprinkle each sheet evenly with half of each nut and half of the parmesan. Sprinkle tiny pinches of salt evenly over the batter.

5.     Bake one sheet at a time, watching closely, for 11-13 minutes, until the batter turns faintly darker brown and the parmesan turns golden brown. Rotate the pan from back to front halfway through the baking time to ensure even baking.

6.     Remove the pan from the oven and set sheet on a rack to cool completely. Repeat with the second sheet.

7.     When completely cool, break the tuiles into random pieces. If they are not completely crisp (inflexible) when cool, bake at 350F for an additional 4-6 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning,

8.     When cool, store tuiles in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (if they last that long).

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