Lemon Peel Tuiles Recipe
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 rounded tablespoons finely grated fresh lemon zest (from 4 lemons)
- 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- Special equipment: a nonstick bakeware liner such as Silpat; a pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch plain tip; a small offset spatula; a 1 1/2- to 2-inch diameter rolling pin or wooden dowel
- Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick liner.
- Grind sugar and zest in a food processor, pulsing 4 or 5 times, until combined well, then transfer to a bowl. Add butter and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add egg whites and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add flour and mix until just combined, about 30 seconds.
- Transfer batter to pastry bag and pipe 12 (3-inch-long) lines, about 1 inch apart, on baking sheet. (Be careful not to squeeze bag too hard — lines should only be 1/4 inch wide.)
- Bake tuiles until edges begin to brown, 7 to 9 minutes. Let tuiles stand on baking sheet 20 seconds (just long enough to allow them to firm up slightly), then transfer with offset spatula to rolling pin (stabilized on a cooling rack), draping them diagonally and wiping spatula clean before transferring next cookie. (If cookies become too crisp to drape, put them back in oven for a few seconds to soften.) Make more tuiles in same manner, using a cool baking sheet and wiping nonstick liner clean with paper towels between batches.
