Paillete Feuilletine Recipe
Paillete feuilletine is often used in pastry for their crispy, crunchy texture. They are essentially broken pieces of biscuit that has been spread into a very thin layer prior to baking. Once very thin, the mix is baked until golden brown and packed with butter and caramel flavor. You can buy these readily made, but you can also make them at home just as follows. Therefore, this paillete feuilletine recipe is a must to keep on hand.
What is paillete feuilletine
Pailleté feuilletine, also known simply as feuilletine, originates from France and is essentially crispy flakes of crepe dentelle. These ultra-thin, caramelized crepes are dried and crumbled, resulting in a product that is light, crunchy, and subtly sweet. The word “feuilletine” comes from “feuille,” meaning “leaf” in French, hinting at its thin, delicate nature.
Paillete feuilletine are always used in mixes that are fatty and do not allow moisture to seep into the biscuit. They are never used in mousse, pastry cream or ganache, nor they are sprinkled on top of mirror glaze or buttercream because they absorb moisture and lose their main property – the crunch! Most often they are used in a mix of chocolate and praline so the final layer hardens a bit from the chocolate, but not too much thanks to the praline. Here is an example of an entremet that uses a layer of croustillant to create a delicious dessert.
How to use this paillete feuilletine recipe
To keep their crunchy texture, paillete feuilletine must not come in contact with water or high humidity. But they can be used in mixes like chocolate, praline, pistachio paste – essentially anything that contains just fats and no drop of water. This paillete feuilletine recipe and not just this, but any crunchy add-on, should be used only in fatty mixes, such as praline and chocolate or 100% nutty pastes and chocolate. Only this way they can preserve their crunch and actually have an impact in your dessert!
Paillete Feuilletine
Ingredients
- 40 g butter (room temperature)
- 40 g icing sugar (sifted)
- 40 g egg whites (room temperature)
- 3 g vanilla extract
- 55 g white all-purpose flour
- 1 g salt
Instructions
- Combine the softened butter and icing sugar and mix with a hand mixer. You don’t need to whip it, just mix them together!
- Add the egg whites and vanilla extract, then stir in the flour and salt, making a thick paste.
- Spread the mixture as thinly as possible on a silicone mat (Silikomart is my favorite). You can also use baking paper, but it might be a bit more difficult to spread as the baking paper absorbs moisture from the dough and looses its shape.
- Bake at 175C for 4-6 minutes or until it becomes golden brown.
- Remove from the oven.
- While hot, this thin biscuit is quite elastic and it can be molded into a shape you like. If not, just let it cool down in the pan – as it cool, it becomes crispy.
- Break into small pieces and preserve into an airtight container to keep it away from humidity.
Equipment
- Mixer
- Silicone mat
- Kitchen scale
- Baking oven
- Spatulas
- Bowls
