However, this recipe, from Rose Prince, caught my eye. Commercial almond thins are one of my favourite biscuits to add to a creamy dessert (such as a mousse or pannacotta) to make it both fancier and less rich, but making the biscuits myself would be so much more impressive!
In addition, the recipe was so simple to make - it took only moments to make the dough, which then needed to be frozen for a couple of hours. This gave me time to clear away the mixing bowls and other apparatus and make the space needed for two baking trays and cooling racks (as well as doing some other household chores!).
The biscuits were delicious, but I soon realised that they weren't the same as the shop-bought version. They were thicker and still chewy in the middle - not crisp all the way through as I wanted them to be - and took quite a bit longer to cook. Although I thought I was following the recipe instructions carefully, I think I still sliced the dough too thickly. I only made about 35 biscuits from the dough instead of the expected 60. Initially I thought it was a mistake with the recipe, or that my block of dough was too big, as I was slicing the dough as thin as I could. It will be interesting to see if I can make the slices thinner next time; this is definitely a recipe to make again, especially when I want to show off to guests!One thing I learned, which was not mentioned in the recipe, is that the dough needs to cool quite a bit before it is finally shaped and frozen - my block of dough gradually spread outwards every time I stopped shaping it. I had to freeze it for 15 minutes and then give it a final pat into submission, before it would hold it's shape.
They do look good, even if they weren't crisp all the way through!
ReplyDeleteAre these like the DeStrooper ones you can buy? My Nanna loves those and she's not very well at the moment, so I might have a go at them if they are....
ReplyDeleteThey taste very similar to the DeStrooper ones but unless you can slice them more thinly than I did, they won't be as crisp. I've also found that they soften quickly, even in an airtight tin, so need to be eaten soon after baking.
ReplyDeleteThey look very impressive Suelle, even if they weren't as thin as you were hoping. I love those DeStrooper biscuits too and you're right, it's the crispness that makes them particularly appealing.
ReplyDeleteI'm very fond of a biscuit with a dessert but I've never tried making almond thins. They look lovely. I don't think I'm much good at slicing accurately, though. I never seem to get close to the right number of biscuits from a piece of dough, so I definitely know what you mean.
ReplyDeleteThey look gorgeous and I like the fact they were still slightly chewy in the middle. So professional looking
ReplyDeleteThese look so tasty , I personally love making buscuits even with all the sress of swapping baking trays and taking out then putting more in my small oven, feels like a little production line. The only problem is that in my house buscuits last less time than it took making them as they all get eaten right away
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