AI-generated image
Biscuits roses de Reims
Biscuits roses, Reims' crisp pink dipping biscuits
Bakers in Reims created these pale-pink, sugar-dusted finger biscuits in the late 1600s, baking the dough twice so it would keep, and they are still the city's signature treat. In Champagne it is the custom to dip them into a glass of Champagne, which they soak up without falling apart; at home they are just as good dipped in tea, hot chocolate or a fruit coulis, or layered into a charlotte. The pink colour is from a little food colouring and the vanilla scent fills the kitchen. Chef's tip: dust the piped fingers with icing sugar twice, a few minutes apart; that gives them their fine, crackled crust.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (1)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan) and line two trays with baking paper.
Step 2: Whisk the yolks from 3 eggs with 2 ⅞ oz caster sugar for 4 minutes, until pale and thick enough to leave a trail. Whisk in 1 tsp vanilla extract and 3 drops red or pink food colouring until evenly pink.
4 minStep 3: Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then add 1 ⅜ oz caster sugar and whisk to stiff, glossy peaks. Fold a third into the yolks to loosen them, then fold in the rest.
Step 4: Sift 3 ⅛ oz plain flour, 1 oz cornflour and ½ tsp baking powder over the top and fold in gently until no flour shows. Common mistake: stirring instead of folding; the air goes and the biscuits bake flat and heavy.
Step 5: Pipe 8 cm fingers, 2 cm wide, onto the trays with a 1.5 cm plain nozzle. Dust generously with 3 tbsp icing sugar, wait 5 minutes and dust again.
5 minStep 6: Bake for 12 minutes, until set and just firm. Turn the oven down to 250°F (200°F fan) and bake 20 minutes more, until dry and crisp but still pink, not browned.
32 minStep 7: Cool on the trays; they crisp fully as they cool. Store in an airtight tin for up to 2 weeks.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 26 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does biscuits roses de Reims take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 35 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
White sauce
The classic white sauce behind pasta bakes, lasagne, baked vegetables and creamy soups. Butter and flour are cooked together first so the sauce tastes of nothing raw, then milk is whisked in until it turns thick, glossy and smooth. Use it straight away, or keep it covered in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Moist banana bread
The blacker the bananas, the better the loaf. This one is mixed in a single bowl with melted butter and a little brown sugar, so it's soft, deeply banana-y and keeps well for days.
American
Tarte au sucre lilloise
In Lille and across the Nord, a sugar tart is not pastry at all but a flat round of soft brioche dough, dimpled and covered with brown cassonade sugar, butter and a little egg and cream, which bakes into a sticky, caramelised top over a fluffy base. Families buy it from the boulangerie for Sunday breakfast and goûter, or bake one when guests come for coffee. The Nord's own beet sugar, vergeoise, gives it a deep, almost molasses flavour; soft dark brown sugar is the closest swap. Chef's tip: press deep dimples into the risen dough with your fingertips before adding the topping; the sugar and cream collect in them and bake into little pools of caramel.