Tuile Biscuits

Even though ‘tuile’ is a French name, biscuits such as these did exist in the British tradition. Wafers were ‘biscuits’ made in an iron mould held over the fire on a long handle, and were often rolled into a curl after baking. These were the predecessors of the modern British brandy snap, a biscuit virtually indistinguishable from the tuile. (Interestingly, wafer irons were taken to America by the first settlers, and the American waffle tradition was born.)

Tuiles are often used as containers for serving ice-cream or sorbet, and are also served as petits-fours. They can be made in almost any shape – a basic curved disc, leaf, swan, triangle, twist and many more. (Use a stencil cut from an ice-cream tub lid.) For a large circular tuile you will need a 10–12 cm (4–4¾ in) diameter disc. For petits-fours, a 6–8 cm (2½-3 in) disc will be just right.