A Sort of Biarritz Biscuit and the Lead Guitarist’s Tale
I intended this to be short and sweet post about little, spongy biscuits. But I warn you that there’ll be a bit of a Proustian moment coming up.
It all started because I needed cheering up. I also didn’t have a lot of time and I had some odds and ends to use up (notably some ground nuts). So biscuits seemed to be the answer, especially since I’ve had this recipe for Biarritz biscuits lying around for a while. Happily these biscuits are quick to put together (especially if you use a stand mixer) and quick to cook. This isn’t really the classic Biarritz biscuit – for instance, hazelnuts are not normally used as far as I know - but it is a pleasing substitute. Normally Biarritz biscuits are coated in chocolate and sprinkled with coconut. I did coat some of mine with dark chocolate but, for the most part, I like them just as they are. For some reason I’ve never really cared for the coconut sprinkle.
Since I needed a quick boost, I decided to have a few of the biscuits with some ice cream. And that led to the Proustian moment. I was instantly reminded of the time I was in a band back in the 1970s. We rehearsed at the flat of our lead guitarist who for some reason was convinced that his girlfriend was having an affair with the ice cream van man. We all told him he was imagining it and getting paranoid. But every day, when he heard the chimes of the ice cream van, he ran out of the flat determined to confront him. Sadly our guitarist was just a little guy and the ice cream man was built like a brick ice house. So every time he’d lose his nerve and come back with an armful of ice creams instead. We ate all that ice cream with any biscuit or wafer that came to hand. Eventually, he spent every last penny he had on ice cream and his girlfriend left him anyway. Oddly enough she went off with the ice cream van man. I think that proves once and for all that being paranoid doesn’t necessarily mean you’re wrong.
The whole experience of eating these biscuits with ice cream was so nostalgic that I almost felt like getting the band back together. Until I remembered that we were rubbish.
Depending on how carefully you control your spoonfuls, this will make around 50 or 60 biscuits.
110 g softened butter
60 g ground almonds
60 g ground hazelnuts
110 g caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla paste or extract
2 egg whites
50 g plain flour, sifted
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Beat the butter until it’s very soft and light in colour. Beat in the nuts and sugar until well mixed. Beat in the vanilla and the egg whites (no need to whisk them first). When the mixture is smooth and even, gently beat in the flour (Don’t overdo this last stage).
Put teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto baking trays lined with silicone sheets or non-stick paper. Try to get the spoonfuls pretty much the same size to ensure a single cooking time. Bake in the oven for between 5 and 7 minutes (the time taken will depend on the size of the spoonfuls). The biscuits should be turning a light golden colour around the edge but should still be pale in the centre.
Once cool, you can coat with chocolate and coconut sprinkles, if you wish. Store in an airtight tin.
It all started because I needed cheering up. I also didn’t have a lot of time and I had some odds and ends to use up (notably some ground nuts). So biscuits seemed to be the answer, especially since I’ve had this recipe for Biarritz biscuits lying around for a while. Happily these biscuits are quick to put together (especially if you use a stand mixer) and quick to cook. This isn’t really the classic Biarritz biscuit – for instance, hazelnuts are not normally used as far as I know - but it is a pleasing substitute. Normally Biarritz biscuits are coated in chocolate and sprinkled with coconut. I did coat some of mine with dark chocolate but, for the most part, I like them just as they are. For some reason I’ve never really cared for the coconut sprinkle.
Since I needed a quick boost, I decided to have a few of the biscuits with some ice cream. And that led to the Proustian moment. I was instantly reminded of the time I was in a band back in the 1970s. We rehearsed at the flat of our lead guitarist who for some reason was convinced that his girlfriend was having an affair with the ice cream van man. We all told him he was imagining it and getting paranoid. But every day, when he heard the chimes of the ice cream van, he ran out of the flat determined to confront him. Sadly our guitarist was just a little guy and the ice cream man was built like a brick ice house. So every time he’d lose his nerve and come back with an armful of ice creams instead. We ate all that ice cream with any biscuit or wafer that came to hand. Eventually, he spent every last penny he had on ice cream and his girlfriend left him anyway. Oddly enough she went off with the ice cream van man. I think that proves once and for all that being paranoid doesn’t necessarily mean you’re wrong.
The whole experience of eating these biscuits with ice cream was so nostalgic that I almost felt like getting the band back together. Until I remembered that we were rubbish.
Depending on how carefully you control your spoonfuls, this will make around 50 or 60 biscuits.
110 g softened butter
60 g ground almonds
60 g ground hazelnuts
110 g caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla paste or extract
2 egg whites
50 g plain flour, sifted
Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Beat the butter until it’s very soft and light in colour. Beat in the nuts and sugar until well mixed. Beat in the vanilla and the egg whites (no need to whisk them first). When the mixture is smooth and even, gently beat in the flour (Don’t overdo this last stage).
Put teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto baking trays lined with silicone sheets or non-stick paper. Try to get the spoonfuls pretty much the same size to ensure a single cooking time. Bake in the oven for between 5 and 7 minutes (the time taken will depend on the size of the spoonfuls). The biscuits should be turning a light golden colour around the edge but should still be pale in the centre.
Once cool, you can coat with chocolate and coconut sprinkles, if you wish. Store in an airtight tin.
I love dark chocolate! Wow that's so cool that you were in a band! These look yummy with a cuppa. I hope you are feeling better : ) I had a moment myself....
ReplyDeleteYou probably wouldn't have thought it was cool if you'd had the misfortune to hear us. I'm smiling at the moment - I hope you are too.
DeleteHahaha, I did laugh out loud at this post. I can't imagine you in a band though... but then again, I was in a band too, and I can't imagine myself in a band (think seriously seriously cheesy eighties and nineties music... at least you were in the cool 70s :)) And I am still giggling at your ice cream man/ lead guitarist story.
ReplyDeleteThese biscuits, on the other hand, look divine, so I am glad you gave up the band and became a food blogger instead :)
These biscuits are yummy!And Easter is also big on chocolate. Great memories of the 70s!
ReplyDeleteThese biscuits certainly cheered me up! Thanks for sharing and happy Easter,
ReplyDeleteOzlem
These look really good! Perhaps you should post a video of you in the band if you have one) to accompany this post :) PS Would love it if you entered these to AlphaBakes as the letter this month is "B" for Biarritz biscuits! http://themorethanoccasionalbaker.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/alphabakes-april-2012-b.html
ReplyDeleteThis seems so long ago that I really don't think video existed (talkies had only just been invented, if I remember rightly) - honestly, we should all be sincerely grateful that no video exists. I did think about entering this for Alphabakes but I honestly thought it wasn't 'B' enough. Then again, it is a Biscuit even if it's not really Biarritz and the originals are from Belgium. You've persuaded me.
DeleteThank you so much for entering these lovely biscuits to AlphaBakes. They are definitely "B" enough. A+ for effort!
DeleteThese biscuits look good, Phil. Wow, in a band too. Great!
ReplyDeleteOh Phil, what a brilliant post. I can't stop laughing. Love the long haired cool 70s dude. And another of your French gems I'm going to have to try. I'm thinking I might just to start my own book of little French treats - or maybe you should!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Choclette. I'm just waiting for someone to pay me to wander around France for a few years to research the ultimate French home baking book. (I might be a little hopeful there). I'm afraid I'd be a bit of a fraud if I included these, though. Despite the name the original Biarritz biscuits actually come from Belgium. (I could go there too, if anyone's offering).
Delete