The Type Of Cookies You Need To Shape When They're Still Warm

Cookies may be famous for having delectable dough, but there are various types of cookies that don't actually come from dough as we normally think of it. Because of its high flour content, typical cookie dough is thick and moldable like clay, but for batter cookies, these start with a thinner base. Though more often associated with cakes, batter is the beginning of cookies like tuile and krumkake. And aside from their preparation, these treats share another cookie commonality — gorgeous shapes.

Batter cookies are unique because of their intricate structures and the special techniques bakers must use to achieve those fanciful forms. It sounds like a tough feat to take on in your own kitchen, but shaping these delicacies doesn't have to be hard. Just remember this key tip: Batter cookies need to be shaped while they're still warm to craft the perfect cookie curves and prevent cracking. Otherwise, the cooled cookie is too brittle to mold without breaking your masterpiece into pieces.

With origins in France, tuile is named after the French word for "tile" because the standard cookie shape resembles curved rooftop tiles. Norwegian krumkake cookies are stamped and rolled into cones, often filled with whipped cream and fruit. These batter cookies have three-dimensional design components that most dough cookies are too heavy or thick to achieve.

The curve of a rolling pin is an excellent mold to create the tube-like shape of tuiles. As soon as you take them out of the oven, drape the cookies around a rolling pin and shape as desired. After cooling, the tuiles will hold that curved form, perfect for adding fillings or garnishing soft desserts like ice cream or pudding. You can even get creative with tuile and make ones similar to fortune cookies.

As for krumkakes, these wafer cookies cook in an krumkake iron and are more like waffle cones, as opposed to the tuiles spending time in a toasty oven. But you still have to work fast to master their conical shape in time! Fresh off of the iron, you should twist the base of the krumkake around the handle of a wooden spoon, loosening the spiral as you go. This creates a beautiful cone, which like tuile, is a fantastic vehicle for cream, fruit, and sauces.