Maison Fossier Recipe: Charlotte aux Fraises aux Biscuits Roses de Reims

The recipe for this tasty treat dates back to the 17th century!

The biscuit was created in Reims in 1690. A Champenois baker wanted to take advantage of the heat of the bread oven in between batches. He had the idea to create a special dough and bake it twice. (The word "biscuit" means "twice-cooked.") The little cookies were originally white, and the vanilla beans used to flavor them left unappealing brown spots so the baker used a natural red dye to cover them. Et voilà! The biscuit rose de Reims was made.The biscuits are best enjoyed dipped in champagne or wine (either red or white). They also go with tea and coffee. And then just like the many kings crowned in Reims, you'll have a royal treat.## Recipe: Biscuits Roses de Reims

• 4 large eggs (separate the yolks from the whites)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 cups flour

• 1/3 cupcornstarch

• 1 tsp baking soda

• drop of red food coloring

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

• pastry bag with 1/4-inch smooth tip

  Preheat the oven to 300°F (180°C). Mix the yolks, sugar and vanilla in a bowl using a hand blender with a whisk attachment, on increasing speeds over a period of 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 2 minutes until the mixture begins to form stiff peaks.

Sift the flour, cornstarch and baking soda 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.

Cover a baking sheet with wax paper and grease it with either butter or non-stick spray. Squeeze out strips of the mixture that are 1/4-inch wide (about as wide as your finger) and about 3 inches long. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake for 15-20 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 12-15 minutes.

When you take them out, quickly cut the edges of the biscuits 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.

Recipe: Charlotte aux Fraises aux Biscuits Roses de Reims

Or, a Strawberry Charlotte with Roses de Reims cookies!

Ingredients for 6 people:

24 Biscuits Roses of Reims

25 g of sugar

75 g of water

250 g of strawberries

250 g of liquid cream

125 g of fromage blanc

1 sachet of vanilla sugar (if not available, double the amount of vanilla extract)

½ teaspoon of vanilla extract)

• Mix the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Add vanilla extract then let cool. Lightly dip the cookies on the unsweetened side in the syrup, garnish the turn and bottom of a charlotte mold of 18 cm in diameter.
• Place the liquid cream in a whipped cream with the vanilla sugar, then gently incorporate the fromage blanc.
• Pour half of the cream into the mold, sprinkle with strawberries, then grind over about 4 pink syrup-soaked cookies. Cover with cream and strawberries. Smooth and let sit at least 12 hours.
• Decorate the charlotte with strawberries.

Serve with a semi-sweet Champagne and enjoy!

Alternatively, you can buy the biscuits from Maison Fossier, manufacturers of the pastry since 1691!