Tuile biscuits recipe

Tuile biscuits are traditional French treat that's light and crunchy. They are very soft and fragile when they come out of the oven and so need to be handled gently, but as they cool they get increasingly crunchy and keep for days in an airtight container. They are the perfect addition to any dessert and will even posh-up an ordinary old bowl of ice cream.

Ingredients

• 1 large egg white
• 60g caster sugar
• 30g plain flour
• Few drops of  vanilla essence
• 30g butter, melted

You will also need:

• Baking tray lined with Teflon sheet
• Rolling pin, lightly oiled

Method

1. Set the oven to 180°C/ 356°F/Gas Mark 4
2. Put the egg white in a medium bowl. Whisk it lightly with a fork, then whisk in the sugar to a froth. Sift in the flour, add the essence and mix in the melted butter.
3. Put 4tsp of the mixture spaced apart on the Teflon. Spread it a little, using the back of the spoon, then bake for 9-10 mins.
4. Take off with a palette knife and lay them over the rolling pin to set into a curl. Cook the rest of the mixture in batches.
5. Cool and store in an airtight tin. They will keep for a week, and for a month if frozen.