Traditionally, tuiles are thin, crisp almond cookies that are gently molded over a rolling pin or arched form while they are still warm. Once set, their shape ressembles the curved French roofing tiles for which they're named. Create an autumnal variation on the classic French tuile cookie by shaping them with a leaf- shaped stencil. The basic tuile dough of sugar, nuts, eggs, flour, and butter can be enhanced by flavorings such as chocolate, vanilla, lemon or orange. These delicate cookies are delicious served alone, or along side a bowl of ice cream.

To make leaf-shaped tuiles, Martha Stewart cuts stencils shaped like maple and oak leaves from the tops of plastic containers. She places the stencils on a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. She forms the cookies by spreading a thin layer of dough inside the open part of the stencil. After removing the stencil form, she decorates each leaf cookie by piping "veins" with a pastry bag filled with a contrasting dough before baking. Work quickly when removing the cookies from the oven because if you wait too long the cookies will harden on the baking sheet and won't be flexible enough to curve over the rolling pin. If this happens, you can return the baking sheet to the oven for a few seconds, and try again. This recipe uses Dutch-process cocoa, known for its rich flavor and color.

1. Sift flour with cocoa, and set aside.

2. In bowl of an electric standing mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium, until well combined, about 2 minutes. Beat in egg whites, one at a time, beating for 4 minutes after each addition. Add the flour-and-cocoa mixture, and mix until just combined.

3. Reserve 1/2 cup batter; place in a pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip and set aside for piping white tuile cookies.

1. Make chocolate and white tuile batters according to recipes. Heat oven to 400°. Trace a leaf onto a large, flexible, plastic lid, such as one from a coffee can. Using scissors, cut lip from lid. With a utility knife, cut out the leaf shape to make a stencil.

2. Place nonstick baking mat on top of a baking sheet, and place stencil on mat. Using a small offset spatula, spread a thin layer of chocolate batter over stencil; carefully lift up stencil. Repeat, making more leaves, spacing evenly on baking mat. Transfer 1/2 cup white batter into a pastry bag fitted with an #2 tip. Pipe white veins onto chocolate leaves. Bake 4 minutes.

3. Using spatula, drape leaves over rolling pin to cool. Repeat process to make 50 cookies, reserving 1/2 cup of chocolate batter.

4. Repeat step with white batter, using reserved chocolate batter for piping.

From Martha Stewart Living Televison Program 11/30/97

Typo's by Connie Robertson......clonnie@eaze.net