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Dessert

Italian Wafers

Thin wafer paper coated with French macaroon paste and almonds, baked into crisp cookies.

From an old cookbook · modernised transcription
From a historical cookbook (Internet Archive) · 3 ingredients
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Italian Wafers

Oven, in the book's wordsA slack oven

Ingredients

Directions

The book says “a slack oven”. The 400°F (200°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.

Shape and top

  1. Cut wafer papers into an oval shape.

  2. Spread a thin layer of French macaroon paste on each wafer.

  3. Cover the wafers completely with chopped almonds.

Bake

  1. Bake on arched pans in a slack oven at 400°F (200°C).

  2. Butter the pans lightly.

  3. Rub the pans with paper to avoid discoloration.

Finish

  1. Remove the wafers while they are hot.

Recipe from a historical cookbook (Internet Archive).

Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.

Explore the science

What each ingredient does

Wafer papers
Forms the thin, crisp base that holds the topping.
French macaroon paste
Adds sweetness and a chewy-crisp texture as it bakes.
Almonds
Adds crunch and nutty flavour on the surface.

The step that matters

Remove the wafers while they are hot. Wafers are pliable while hot and stiffen as they cool. Waiting too long can make them brittle and hard to lift without cracking, so they should be removed promptly from the pans.

“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.

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