Tuile: The Crisp Wafer

A tuile (French for 'tile') is a paper-thin crisp wafer used to add crunch and a sculptural vertical element to plated desserts. Beverly turned mashed potatoes into delicate dill-dusted tuiles that fooled Michael Cimarusti into thinking they were potato chips. The home method: spread a thin batter (often flour, sugar, melted butter, and egg white, or a starchy purée for savoury versions) across a silicone mat in a stencil shape, then bake hot until the edges deeply colour. Lift while still warm and drape over a rolling pin or jar to set into a curved shape — they harden in seconds.