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1
Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks
8 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Put the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and whip with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. Add a spoonful of the sifted icing sugar and whip to stiff, glossy peaks that hold their shape when you lift the whisk. This bokkenpootjes recipe lives or dies on this meringue: it is the structure of the whole biscuit.
Whip at medium speed, not full speed: slower whipping makes smaller, more stable bubbles and a smoother meringue.
Done when: Stiff, glossy peaks that stand up on their own and do not slide when the bowl is tipped.
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2
Fold in the almonds and pipe the logs
12 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Sift the almond meal, icing sugar and salt together, then fold the mixture into the whites in two gentle additions, cutting down through the middle and lifting up the sides. Stop the moment no dry streaks remain. Spoon the batter into a piping bag with a round tip about 1.5 cm wide and pipe 20 logs, about 10 cm long, onto baking trays lined with parchment. Scatter the flaked almonds over the top.
Pipe with steady, even pressure and lift the bag straight up at the end of each log, so the ends stay neat instead of curling.
Done when: Thick batter that holds a piped log without spreading; even, straight logs on the tray.
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3
Bake until crisp and golden
25 Mins
Oven at 160°C (325°F)
Bake at 160°C (325°F) for 20 to 25 minutes, until the biscuits are pale golden, dry to the touch and lift cleanly off the parchment. Cool completely on the tray: they crisp as they cool and will bend if moved while warm.
Do not open the oven in the first 15 minutes: the rush of cool air can make the meringue sink.
Done when: Pale golden, dry and crisp outside, lifting cleanly off the paper; chewy, not wet, inside.
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4
Sandwich with buttercream
10 Mins
Room temperature, about 22°C (72°F)
Beat the softened butter with the 40 g icing sugar and the vanilla until pale, smooth and spreadable. Pipe or spread a line of buttercream down the centre of one biscuit and press a second biscuit on top, flat side in. Repeat for all 10 pairs and chill for 15 minutes so the filling firms.
Chill the sandwiches before dipping: warm buttercream melts into the chocolate and makes a mess.
Done when: Neat sandwiches with the buttercream just peeking out at the sides, firm enough to handle.
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5
Dip the ends in dark chocolate
20 Mins
Chocolate melted over simmering water, about 45°C (113°F)
Melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over simmering water until smooth, then dip both ends of each sandwich about 2 cm deep. Set on parchment and leave at cool room temperature until the chocolate is firm and glossy, about 20 minutes.
Do not set the biscuits in the fridge: the chocolate will bloom with white streaks instead of staying glossy.
Done when: Glossy, set chocolate at both ends, with the pale meringue showing in the middle.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Let the chocolate set completely before stacking, and eat the biscuits with strong black coffee — the bitterness of the coffee is the perfect foil for the sweet almond meringue.
Netherlands
45m
