Woo-hoo! This is my first ffwD post in a long while, and I think I picked a good recipe for my return!
These four ingredient croquants (unskinned hazelnuts, sugar, egg whites, and flour) were easy to assemble after staying late at work Thursday night. However, it helped that I already had all of the ingredients in my cupboards! Now, after baking my first batch of croquants for the suggested 10 minutes, the cookies turned out very pale on top, had lightly browned bottoms and sides, and stuck to the parchment when I tried to lift them after they had cooled. They were also only slightly crispy on the outside and still chewy on the inside.
Because of these results, I baked the subsequent batches for 12 minutes each. The 12-minute bake produced nicely browned tops, sides, and bottoms and allowed for easy lifting from the parchment after cooling. For my oven, 12 minutes was obviously the way to go. As for the taste, these are extremely sweet (and crispy!) cookies, probably due to the one and a quarter cups of sugar to 1/2 cup of flour in the dough. Definitely serve these with hot tea to help mellow the taste and the texture!
As a hilarious side note, because it’s been such a long time since I’ve baked for a post, I was completely scatterbrained during my last three batches. For the first scatterbrain batch, I put the croquants in but forgot to turn on the timer. The second scatterbrain batch, I turned on the timer but forgot to put the croquants in the oven. For the last scatterbrain batch, I placed the croquants in the oven, turned on the timer, and somehow turned off the oven because it was the last batch. I ended up throwing those away. When I told my surgeon friend (Codename: Candelabra) about the three batches, she laughed and said, “I don’t even know what to say about that.”
These croquants were made for French Fridays with Dorie, a group of bloggers who are cooking their way through Dorie Greenspanβs Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours.
Jan 30, 2015 @ 06:42:56
Hey! Glad to see you are back! I’ve never had croquants before, but they sound and look quite tasty!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 07:35:40
yummychunklet, I couldn’t believe that amount of sugar to flour until I looked up ‘croquant’ and learned that it’s really more of a candy. And about your three batches, LOL, when similar things have happened to me, I always say ‘Some days it just doesn’t pay to go into the kitchen!’ π
Jan 30, 2015 @ 07:36:42
Oh my ! Scatterbrain baking! Glad you got a batch that worked out! These were nice treats with an espresso too!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 08:05:05
Croquants? They look like cookies! I love cookies!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 08:27:56
Glad you liked the cookies, and that is hilarious about the scatterbrained baking. π
Jan 30, 2015 @ 08:47:26
Haha – I do the same scatterbrained stuff at times! I’ve never had a croquant before – but they sure sound scrumptious!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 08:58:13
Very Pretty! Love your photo!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 10:33:46
Don’t worry, happens to me… sometimes! Envy you your croquants! I failed miserably!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 12:11:44
These are lovely! I would like a batch right now π
Jan 30, 2015 @ 13:46:37
I’m sure we’ll have you back in prime baking form, too! Maybe I should have tried mine with hazelnuts π
Jan 30, 2015 @ 14:33:41
It can be easy to feel scatter brained, especially while baking. Sometimes my cats distract me while I am in the kitchen and it can lead to similar mishaps!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 15:09:57
I have days like that! My biggest was starting to make the recipe on one page of the book, and then following the instructions on a different page. I had to toss it out too!
Jan 30, 2015 @ 15:19:57
These little cookies were really good, and will be repeated with all the extra egg whites that are leftover.Yours looks very delicious.
Jan 30, 2015 @ 20:08:36
Welcome back, I have never heard of those before. They do look really good and love the short and simple list of ingredients,
Jan 30, 2015 @ 20:42:32
I love how these only require four ingredients xx
Jan 30, 2015 @ 21:01:48
Nice choice to come back on, rather than all the fish we’ve been cooking up. Welcome back.
Jan 30, 2015 @ 22:51:16
Looks like cookies. Never heard of them before. Looks delish
Jan 30, 2015 @ 23:09:12
I’ve never heard of a croquant, but they look and sound interesting and if they are as sweet as you say…definitely with strong tea, they would be great. As to scatterbrained while cooking or baking due to delayed posting from working…welcome to my world. π
Jan 31, 2015 @ 05:50:57
I love it when I read of other people being scatterbrained whilst baking.. I almost ALWAYS burn the last batch.. love the cookies by the way.. c
Jan 31, 2015 @ 08:18:39
Thanks for the tip of baking a couple of minutes more. Scatterbrained could be my middle name. π
Jan 31, 2015 @ 12:48:36
Your side note was hysterical! I think I’ve done all 3 of those things before, but never at the same time.
Jan 31, 2015 @ 14:18:37
The cookies look wonderful. I love your plate. You’ll quickly get back into the groove of baking:)
Jan 31, 2015 @ 14:22:40
What beautiful croquants, such a classy cookie π
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Jan 31, 2015 @ 16:50:20
Glad you are back this week! I am back this week as well. I am glad your cookies turned out well even with all of the scatterbrainedness. π
Jan 31, 2015 @ 18:41:02
Welcome back. You did choose a good recipe to come back on. Love your plate. Some days, things on the kitchen don’t go quite to plan.
Feb 01, 2015 @ 05:34:43
Your croquets look wonderful – I’d love to try this recipe. And I laughed when I read about your kitchen escapades. We’ve all had days like that.
Feb 02, 2015 @ 01:12:54
The saying practice makes perfect comes to mind here π
Feb 02, 2015 @ 12:33:27
Welcome back – and I do agree – these croquants are a perfect choice !
Feb 02, 2015 @ 14:36:10
Welcome back. We all have those scatter brain moments. We loved these cookies.
Feb 02, 2015 @ 20:24:02
Glad you were able to get to the good batch!
Feb 02, 2015 @ 22:54:53
Glad have you back my friend!!!
Feb 03, 2015 @ 05:09:38
Delicious croquants and don’t mind your doings in the kitchen, I have done several such mistakes! haha
Feb 03, 2015 @ 16:35:38
yeah for your return. I love these croquants. It looks delicious and something I know I would enjoy. I have never had them before. probably something similar but definitely not the real thing
Feb 03, 2015 @ 23:02:33
Welcome back! I have never had croquants, but from your description and picture it must taste delicious…somehow I can picture what happened to all the batches that you had to throw away π
Hope you are enjoying your week!
Feb 04, 2015 @ 08:04:52
If it makes you feel better, you are not the only scatterbrained in the kitchen. I just burned a pot few days ago.
Feb 04, 2015 @ 08:51:09
Welcome back! You were missed!! Great recipe to come back with π
Feb 04, 2015 @ 11:02:49
I’ve totally scatterbrained baked before. The worst are long bakes and you realize the oven is completely idle–haha. You live, ya learn. And then you get these beautiful croquants!
Feb 04, 2015 @ 13:39:11
Scatterbrained or not I’m glad you are back! Scatterbrain is how I do most things:) Your cookies look delicious!
Feb 06, 2015 @ 08:45:30
Too funny! I regularly forget the timer, but I don’t think I’ve ever set the timer and forgotten to put the cookies in. But it looks like you got enough to enjoy.
Feb 09, 2015 @ 22:04:36
Ooo, I want a taste!:)
Feb 10, 2015 @ 17:27:20
They look delicious!
Jessica @ Sunny Days and Starry Nights
Feb 11, 2015 @ 20:34:30
I’ve never had these before or if I did, my French grandmother called them something else. Yummy!
Feb 13, 2015 @ 02:46:47
A bit late here, but SO glad you’re back!!!