Croquant d’Amandes
Serves: Approximately 36
 
Egg white-based cookies laden with nuts are a favorite in the mountains of Southern France. Made similarly to Italian biscotti, the dough is baked first as a log sliced, and then baked again to make it croquant, or crunchy.
Ingredients
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1½ cup sliced almonds
  • ½ cup chopped chocolate
  • ½ teaspoon fresh orange zest
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together eggs and salt at medium speed. Gradually beat in sugar and honey. After all sugar has been added and incorporated, turn of mixer, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat mixture at high speed until mixture falls in ribbons and honey and sugar are fully incorporated, 5 to 8 minutes.
  3. Switch to the paddle attachment. With mixer at low speed, beat in half of flour, followed by remaining half of flour, almonds, chocolate, and orange zest, until combined and a dough forms.
  4. Shape dough into a (12×3-inch) log on prepared baking sheet. (Dough will be sticky. Use an of set spatula to help shape.)
  5. Bake for 15 minutes. Rotate pan, and then bake until log is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes more. Transfer log to a wire rack and let cool completely.
  6. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. Using a serrated bread knife in a sawing motion, cut log into ⅛-inch-thick slices. Lay slices on prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake sliced cookies until golden brown and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cool completely.
Notes
Make-Ahead Tip: Cookies can be baked up to 2 weeks in advance and stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/croquant-damandes/