bubbly

Biscuit Roses de Reims- Cookies You Dip in Champagne!

During our recent trip to Reims (see full post here), the champagne capital of the world, we passed Maison Fossier, whose windows were filled with adorable tins and bags filled with rectangular pink biscuits. Naturally, we had to go inside the shop to see what these little pink biscuits were all about. Walking in, we were immediately surrounded by the warmth and delicate sweet scent of sugar and vanilla. Best of all, there was PINK everywhere! We sampled one of these pink beauties, and with one bite, we were in love! They have the texture of an un-soaked ladyfinger and are subtly sweet with a touch of vanilla—a perfect accompaniment for champagne.

These biscuits were invented in the 1690s by bakers in Reims, who wanted to make something that could be made using the heat from their ovens between baking batches of bread. The shop, Maison Fossier, has been making Biscuit Roses de Reims since it opened in 1756 and now can be found throughout France and around the world. These biscuits were even served during the Coronation of Louis XVI at Reims, and Maison Fossier became the biscuit maker for the royal family.

You are supposed to serve these biscuits with champagne (preferably champagne from Reims), and they are made to be dipped into the champagne to bring out the subtle flavors of the cookies. Of course, you don't have to sell us on anything that involves champagne, so we bought a few tins as gifts and a bag for us to enjoy on our trip. Once we were home, we missed having these cute and crunchy biscuits and decided to make them ourselves. We found the original recipe on the official website for France, so we decided not to alter it much because if it is on the official website for France, it must be good.

xxx Ivy & Eve

Adapted from the recipe on France.fr.

Makes about 45 cookies.

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs at room temperature (separate the yolks from the whites)

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 1 1/2 cups flour

  • 1/3 cup cornstarch

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 6-8 drops of red food coloring (depending on how pink you want them)

  • Powdered (confectioner's) sugar for dusting the cookies

  • Pastry bag with a 1/4-inch smooth tip

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 275°F. Mix the yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl using a hand blender with a whisk attachment, on increasing speed over 5-6 minutes. Beat in 2 of the egg whites for another 2 minutes. Beat in the remaining 2 egg whites and the food coloring for an additional 5 minutes until the mixture begins to form stiff peaks.

  2. Sift the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder into the bowl, folding in gently with a spatula. You want a final result that is smooth and uniform in color. Scrape it into the pastry bag.

  3. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with non-stick baking spray. Squeeze out strips of the mixture that are 1/4-inch wide (about as wide as your finger) and about 3 inches long and 1/4-1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake for 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. (You don't want the biscuits to start browning though, or else they won't be pink!) Take the biscuits out, sprinkle them with more powdered sugar, and place them back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.

  4. When you take them out, quickly cut the biscuits' edges so that you have even rectangles. Do this before they cool, or else they become rather difficult to cut. If they cool before you finish, you can place them back in the oven for a few minutes to soften. If once they cool, they aren't completely crunchy, you can always but them back in the oven at 200°F and dry them out for about 20 minutes.

  5. Serve with champagne, dip, and enjoy!

Our dog Pearl and cat Fatty Pants loved them too!

Our dog Pearl and cat Fatty Pants loved them too!

Mad for Madeleines

Ever since we were little, we have loved all things pretty and sweet. We entirely blame our dear Grammy G for this trait, as she was known to skip dinner in anticipation of the dessert! Ever since Eve began baking, she has always had a particular love for French sweets. Naturally, one of the first things she mastered was the madeleine. These little shell-shaped cookies are a perfect accompaniment for tea time, and we find they go perfectly with a glass of bubbly! We suggest pairing madeleines with a bright and crisp sparkling wine with citrusy notes and a hint of toasty flavors such as Gruet Brut and the spurge worthy Perrier-Jouet's Gand Brut

Be sure to download our printable recipe card!

xxx Ivy & Eve

Adapted from the Patisserie Lerch in Paris (sadly now closed) via Paris Sweets

Makes two dozen madeleines.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon double-acting baking powder

  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 cup sugar

  • Grated zest of 1 lemon

  • 4 teaspoons vanilla extract

  • 10 tablespoons (5 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Directions

  1. Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar together on medium-high speed until they thicken and lighten in color (around 3 minutes).

  2. While the eggs and sugar are beating, sift together the flour and baking powder in a bowl.

  3. Beat in the lemon zest and vanilla. Switch to a large rubber spatula and gently fold in the dry ingredients, followed by the melted butter.

  4. Cover the batter with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap against the surface to create an airtight seal, and chill for at least 3 hours. The longer it chills. the better. We keep ours in the fridge overnight. The chilling helps create the characteristic humps on the back of the cookies.

  5. When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

  6. Generously butter it, dust the insides with flour and tap out the excess. If the pan is nonstick, better to be safe than sorry and butter and flour it. We use Pam for Baking whenever a recipe calls to butter and flour the pan. It’s so much easier and less messy and hasn’t failed us yet! Then place the pan on a baking sheet for easy transport to the oven. 

  7. Spoon the batter into the molds, filling them almost to the top. One heaping spoonful is about right. Don’t worry about smoothing the batter. It will even out as it bakes. 

  8. Bake large madeleines for 11 to 13 minutes, small ones for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and golden and spring back when touched.

  9. Remove the cookies by either rapping the pan against the counter (the madeleines should drop out) or gently running a knife around the edges of the cookies. Allow the madeleines to cool on a cooling rack.

  10. Sprinkle powdered sugar on top and serve warm or at room temperature.

  11. Enjoy!

Madeleines are best eaten the day they are made. Honestly, It is hard to wait until they are even cooled before devouring them! ENJOY!

 

Variations

  • Cut the vanilla in half and add 2 teaspoons of rose water. This reminds us of a fancy high tea!

  • Substitute the lemon zest for orange for a lively little kick.

  • We like to add a pinch or two of cinnamon and nutmeg to the batter in the winter.

Be sure to download our printable recipe card!