Samantha Seneviratne's Hazelnut Croquant Cookies: A simple-to-make, delicate sweet treat
Crunchy and 'reminiscent of meringue' — but more forgiving!
These delicate cookies from Samantha Seneviratne are similar to a meringue — but don’t let the idea of working with egg whites intimidate you. “This recipe is a little more forgiving since you don’t need a stiff foam,” she told us. And while it’s no big deal if a bit of yolk falls in (“A tiny streak should be OK”), Seneviratne let us in on a secret: “Use a piece of bread to dab out the yolk before moving on.”
Feel free to swap another variety of nuts for the hazelnuts. Seneviratne said toasted walnuts or pistachios, or a mix of different kinds, would be delicious in this recipe.
Here’s how to make a big batch of these cookies from her latest cookbook, Bake Smart: Sweets and Secrets from My Oven to Yours.
Hazelnut Croquant Cookies
By Samantha Seneviratne
The word “croquant” means crisp or crunchy in French. While these egg white-based cookies are reminiscent of meringue, croquant cookies don’t rely on whipped egg whites. Instead, all the ingredients are simply combined. The ratio of sugar to whites is much higher than in meringue. The result is a simple-to-make, delicate, crunchy cookie that’s lovely eaten with a cup of tea.
Note: Hazelnuts have a bitter papery skin that should be removed before using. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet at 350 F until the skins have started to separate from them, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer the warm nuts to a dish towel, wrap them up into a pouch, and rub them around to remove most of the skins. It’s OK if the nuts aren’t completely clean.
Ingredients
- 2 large (60 g) egg whites
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1¼ cups (160 g) toasted and skinned hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
- ⅓ cup (45 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (35 g) bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together the egg whites and granulated sugar until creamy. Stir in the hazelnuts, flour, chocolate, vanilla, and salt.
Scoop about half the batter by 1-teaspoon scoops and place the scoops about 2 inches apart on one of the prepared baking sheets.
Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and set, about 12 minutes. Transfer the sheet to a rack and let the cookies cool completely before removing them from the parchment.
Repeat with the remaining batter and the other prepared sheet.
The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Makes about 26 cookies
Excerpted from Bake Smart: Sweets and Secrets from My Oven to Yours by Samantha Seneviratne. Photography credit to Johnny Miller. Copyright © 2023 by Samantha Seneviratne. Printed courtesy of Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
