11/2cups whole, skin-on almonds
2cups sugar
11/2cups flour, plus more for the work surface
2large egg whites (1/3 cup)
These dairy-free cookies are named for the medieval French village near the Pyrenees where they were created. They turn out crackly, puffed and, indeed, craggy and crunchy.
Make ahead: The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to several weeks.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the almonds, sugar, flour and egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer or handheld electric mixer. Beat on medium-low speed for about 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes a rough ball of dough.
Lightly flour a work surface. Transfer the dough there and cut it in half. Roll one half of the dough into a long log that’s a bit less than 1 inch in diameter, dusting it with more flour as needed.
Dip a pastry brush in water, then use it to brush all the excess flour from the log. Cut the log crosswise into scant 1/2-inch-thick slices, laying 8 of them on the baking sheet, spaced well apart. Flatten them a bit further with the palm of your hand. Bake (middle rack) for about 6 to 7 minutes, until they are puffed up and lightly browned. Immediately slide the cookies (on the parchment paper) onto a wire rack to cool.
Place a new piece of parchment on the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Makes 70 cookies.
Nutrition 5/8 Per cookie: 50 calories, 1 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 mg sodium, 0 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar
Adapted from “Baklava to Tarte Tatin: A World Tour in 110 Dessert Recipes,” by Bernard Laurence (Flammarion, 2015).
— The Washington Post
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