Hello Doristas – I’ve missed you! I can’t believe this is my first French Fridays post since the beginning of the month, but it’s been hectic around here.
This week’s recipe is one of my favourite sweet treats from this book, one that I’ve made often when I’ve had extra egg whites in the kitchen. (Although its place as my favourite egg-white-using dessert may now have been usurped by Dorie’s Cranberry Crackle Tart.)
I’ve even made these cookies when I didn’t have egg whites to use up, which reminds me – I’d love it if cookbooks had an index section for egg yolk recipes, as well as one for egg white recipes. Pavlova lovers will agree with me, I’m sure.
I love croquants with any kind of nuts, but my favourite version uses a mix of different nuts – our co-op sells a ‘fancy nut mix’ that’s perfect for these cookies. I’ve tried them with unsalted nuts, but found the cookies were then too sweet, so I stick with salted nuts now.
These cookies are perfect with a cup of tea and keep quite well in a cookie tin. I brought a big batch of these to a training a few months back and the Chair took the leftovers home, as we had another meeting scheduled for the next night. He showed up to that meeting empty-handed, explaining that “a couple of friends dropped by last night and, uh, we ate all the cookies.”
I think that’s a ringing endorsement.
You can find David Lebovitz’ version of croquants here (or even better, you can get yourself a copy of Around My French Table). And you can find links to the rest of the French Fridays crew’s posts on this week’s recipe here: Croquants.
One Wet Foot 
Teresa, a mix of salted nuts sounds wonderful – I also used different nuts and seeds – hazelnuts, almonds, cashews and pumkin seeds and added a nice pinch of French sea salt) to counterbalance the sweetnesss of these. On the picture your cookies look absolutely scrumptious – no surprise that there were no left-overs. And you are absolutely right about the great use of left-over egg whites, although I tend to always get stuck with left-over egg-yolks instead!
Wishing you and Kevin a wonderful weekend – hope that construction stress has subsided by now,
Andrea
Maybe I need to try these out with mixed nuts or give my leftovers to a nut loving crowd! So glad to know these were a hit with you and your friends. Happy weekend, my friend!!!
I would love these with salty nuts…next time! After I made them, I was surprised that it took me so long to find this recipe! A new favorite…added to my “go to” list! Yours look beautiful! Happy weekend, Teresa!
These are good, aren’t they – and best of all, they are super easy to make.
Hi Teresa, these look lovely and sound every bit as good! Perhaps I shall give the David Lebovitz version a go! Have a good weekend.
Welcome back! I am glad you liked these! What a great idea to use a salted nut mix. That would make things easier than the already easy recipe! 🙂 I would like a list of yolk and whites recipes as well. 🙂
Great story! Too funny that the chair showed up empty-handed. Your idea for an index of egg white and yolk recipes is brilliant.
The salted nuts sound like a great idea. This is a great way to use up any nuts, chocolate, etc.
that are left over from the various baking projects, including all those egg whites.
Welcome back! I used unsalted nuts, but your salted fancy nut mix sounds even more appealing. I really enjoyed these. Can’t wait to make them again. I have to figure out what to do with my yolks first though. Ideas?
Sounds like the “Chair” loved these cookies, they look wonderful!
I am glad your remodel is almost done. I have been there done that several times and the process is never fun but the outcome worth it. Looks like these were a hit with most. Have a great week.
Glad to see you back – I hope your remodel is almost ready to go.
This is the first time I had heard of these cookies and I really did like them.
Yours look lovely and perfectly crunchy!
You are right Teresa! A section of recipes using egg whites or yolks is a very good idea! I used salted cashews and I wondered about the sweetness if using unsalted nuts because we thought they were pretty perfect. I will try using mixed nuts next time. I love how easy these cookies are. I have felt uninspired by many of the recipes we’ve had of late so even though I have no excuse I’ve skipped some! Welcome back!
Agreed! Every cookbook should offer ideas for how to use up all the extra ingredients which are left over from its recipes.