Gâteaux Secs

With the addition of ground almonds to the moist Pâte à Génoise au Beurre, we create a dry Pain de Gênes which gives nutlike flavor and crispness to cakes and cookies. From this batter we make the famous Tile cookies, Leaves, Cigarettes and Mirrors.

Then when we drop the yolks, butter, and flour from the recipe we come up with the delightfully crisp and unusual Sylvia cake. And finally, when the nuts are removed from the egg whites, we are left with a basic meringue recipe from which to create the famous Vacherin. And this is how a cuisine is built —from one stage to the other.