Recipe: Fall Leaf Cookies (Tuilles)

I saw fall leaves "cookies" made on the Martha Stewart site last year. I believe they were called "Tuilles". You might look for them that way.

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Editor's note:

Thank you for pointing us in the right direction Cherie. Here is the recipe:

FALL LEAF COOKIES

Tuiles are thin, crisp almond cookies that are traditionally molded over a rolling pin or arched form while they are still warm. Once set, their shape resembles the curved French roofing tiles for which they're named. Create an autumnal variation on classic French tuile cookies by cutting them out using a leaf-shaped stencil. The basic tuile dough of sugar, nuts, eggs, flour, and butter can be enhanced by flavorings such as chocolate, vanilla, lemon, or orange. These delicate cookies are delicious served alone or alongside a bowl of ice cream.

To make fall-leaf tuiles, Martha cuts stencils shaped like maple and oak leaves from plastic lids. She places the stencils on a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. She forms the cookies by spreading a thin layer of dough inside the open part of the stencil. After removing the stencil form, she decorates each leaf cookie by piping "veins" with a pastry bag filled with a contrasting dough before baking.

Work quickly when removing the cookies from the oven: If you wait too long, the cookies will harden on the baking sheet and won't be flexible enough to curve over the rolling pin. If this happens, you can return the baking sheet to the oven for a few seconds, and try again.

This recipe uses Dutch-process cocoa, known for its rich flavor and color.

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FALL-LEAF TUILE COOKIES
Makes about 100 cookies

Chocolate Tuile Batter (recipe follows)
White Tuile Batter (recipe follows)

Make chocolate and white tuile batters according to following recipes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trace a leaf onto a large, flexible, plastic lid, such as one from a coffee can. Using scissors, cut lip from lid. With a utility knife, cut out the leaf shape to make a stencil.

Place nonstick baking mat on top of a baking sheet, and place stencil on mat. Using a small offset spatula, spread a thin layer of chocolate batter over stencil; carefully lift up stencil. Repeat, making more leaves, spacing evenly on baking mat. Transfer 1/2 cup white batter into a pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip. Pipe white veins onto chocolate leaves. Bake 4 minutes.

Using spatula, drape leaves over rolling pin to cool. Repeat process to make 50 cookies, reserving 1/2 cup of chocolate batter.

Repeat step 2 with white batter, using reserved chocolate batter for piping.

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CHOCOLATE TUILE BATTER

1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
4 large egg whites, at room temperature

Sift flour with cocoa, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium until well-combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, beating for 4 minutes after each addition. Add the flour-and-cocoa mixture, and mix until just combined.

Reserve 1/2 cup batter; place in a pastry bag fitted with an #2 tip, and set aside for piping white tuile cookies.

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WHITE TUILE BATTER

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
4 large egg whites, at room temperature

Sift flour into a mixing bowl, and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium, until well-combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, beating for 4 minutes after each addition. Add the reserved flour, and mix until just combined.

Reserve 1/2 cup batter; place in a pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip, and set aside for piping chocolate tuile cookies.