{"id":1074,"date":"2022-03-26T17:37:37","date_gmt":"2022-03-26T17:37:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/?p=1074"},"modified":"2022-10-24T22:26:27","modified_gmt":"2022-10-24T22:26:27","slug":"cat-tongues-langues-de-chat-creme-brulees-best-friend-ever","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/2022\/03\/26\/cat-tongues-langues-de-chat-creme-brulees-best-friend-ever\/","title":{"rendered":"CAT TONGUES (&#8220;Langues de Chat&#8221;) &#8211; cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e&#8217;s best friend ever"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This is one of those classic recipes I&#8217;ve been meaning to try for ages because it has the world&#8217;s most evocative name, but kept putting off because it looked too easy. I have seen many dozens of recipes, maybe hundreds of recipes, and they are basically all the same. What could I possibly have to add? Yes, the formalities had to be observed. We really do bake every recipe we publish, over and over until we have it right, so I knew that sooner or later I&#8217;d have to go through the motions. But I will admit that Cat Tongues fell into that rare group where my inner Scrooge kept insisting, <em>&#8220;Why bother?&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Was he ever wrong! It took me several different batches to penetrate the subtleties behind this cookie, and then an explanation from our extremely French friend before I finally got the underlying point: <em>Cat Tongues aren&#8217;t a standalone cookie at all, but rather something new that I&#8217;ve never played around with before. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So there was a lot of reason to bother. I only regret that I waited this long.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-pretty-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1113\" width=\"529\" height=\"396\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-pretty-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-pretty-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-pretty-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-pretty-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-pretty-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-pretty-1200x900.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 529px) 85vw, 529px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-bright-red-color has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>As always, <a href=\"#Recipe\">skip to the bottom if you only want the recipe<\/a>. What follows is a discussion of the tips, tricks, and stumbles along the way.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How Often Do You See A Mathematically Perfect Recipe?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The French are a very orderly people, at least on the cooking side, and few things show that more than the traditional recipe for <em>Langues de Chat<\/em>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Equal weight of butter;<\/li><li>Equal weight of powdered sugar;<\/li><li>Equal weight of egg white;<\/li><li>Equal weight of flour; and<\/li><li>A hint of salt with a touch of some aromatic &#8220;extra&#8221; such as citrus zest, spice, or vanilla.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s it. A kitchen scale should let you multiply the recipe up or down with no effort at all. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Note To [Shall Not Be Named]:<\/strong> Yes, I really do mean &#8220;no effort at all.&#8221; Start with the bowl for your mixer. Put that on your scale, tare to zero, and then add the butter. Make a note of the weight, which should be 115 grams for a single stick, give or take. Set the mixing bowl aside, and put a new, smaller bowl on the scale. Tare to zero, and crack in your egg whites, saving the yolks for the custard you&#8217;re making alongside. Get to that same weight or below, and then set this aside too (as discussed below, there is no issue if the egg whites come in underweight). Repeat with a bowl for the powdered sugar, and then again for the flour. A,B,C and alakazam: you are ready to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Problem #1: The Egg Whites Did Not Cooperate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For our testing I chose to normalize around the weight of a standard U.S. stick of butter, which is 4 oz = 115 g. The conversion tables may say that equates to around three (3) egg whites, but that is only true if they&#8217;re Jumbos. The regular Size Large whites from our local supermarkets averaged out to more like 32-33 grams apiece, meaning that three was too little (about 95-100 g), but four was too many (\u2248 125-130 g).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I solved this by using four and spooning off the excess, but there&#8217;s no need to be that compulsively precise. I&#8217;ve since learned (see below) that professional bakers often like to control the amount of spreading by cutting back on the egg whites. <em>Et voil\u00e0<\/em>! Don&#8217;t be like me. Be like the pros. Use three whites per stick of butter, and tell anyone who asks that you departed from mathematical perfection on purpose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Problem #2: The Order Of Addition<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here&#8217;s another case where I outsmarted myself by trying to be too precise. The typical &#8220;creaming method&#8221; approach says to (1) beat the butter until it is fluffy and white, (2) beat in the sugar and flavoring until smooth, (3) beat in the eggs one at a time until fully combined, and then (4) beat in the flour until just combined. The order matters for chemistry reasons. Several of the Cat Tongue recipes reverse #3 and #4, which got me all angsty. Was it a hidden trick? Or a typo?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After testing both I can tell you that it makes no difference. If you add the flour first (i.e., at step 3), you need to take extra care to avoid an eruption from the mixing bowl, but the advance warning should be enough. There is no real buildup of gluten to worry about. If you add the egg whites first, you never get them fully incorporated into the butter because there are just too many, but it will still come together nicely when the flour comes in later on, and you won&#8217;t need to deal with <em>&#8220;are you sure this order is right?&#8221;<\/em> question marks as you bake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s a batter, my friends, not a dough. Very forgiving. Laugh at me so you won&#8217;t have to laugh at yourself, and then do whatever feels best. <em>[But do remember to laugh. These are cookies, after all. They&#8217;re supposed to be fun.]<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Problem #3: What &#8220;Extra&#8221; Flavors Work Best?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-closeup-and-pretty-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1114\" width=\"536\" height=\"401\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-closeup-and-pretty-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-closeup-and-pretty-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-closeup-and-pretty-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-closeup-and-pretty-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-closeup-and-pretty-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-closeup-and-pretty-1200x900.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 536px) 85vw, 536px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer turns out to be just as simple as those for the first two so-called problems: <em>&#8220;Whatever suits your fancy of the moment so long as it&#8217;s only a hint.&#8221;<\/em> That said, I should probably describe what happened during the testing in order to give you some context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">My first batch followed an online formula suggesting <em>\u00bc<\/em> tsp. of vanilla for each egg white. Uhm, no. Or rather, NOOOOOO! That was at least triple the required amount, and it also hit us squarely in the <em>[yawn]<\/em> button. Plain and buttery, sure. Character free? No thank you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The next experiments involved cinnamon and cardamom, two favorites, and those worked fine so long as I stuck to sharply limited amounts. You want only enough for tasters to know the &#8220;extra&#8221; flavor is there. You do <em>not<\/em> want to make extra-flavor Cat Tongues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hmm. That might be a little vague. Let me try this a different way. When our daughter tasted the final batch, she reacted by saying this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;Darn it, these remind me of something but I just can&#8217;t think of what it is. Wait a sec&#8230; I know! They taste like the toasted pancake bits off at the side of the griddle. You know, those little spots and strings that happen when batter drips off your ladle by accident? Don&#8217;t tell anyone, but I love those.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She nailed it, and I hereby promise to keep the admission in confidence. From now on, at least. I need to share it here because it explains one of the two main reasons why you want such a light hand with the flavorings. The primary Cat Tongue flavor needs to come from that crispy, toasted, butter-infused browning at the edges and the bottoms of each piece. Adding too much &#8220;extra&#8221; flavor hides that, and thereby subtracts more than it adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What&#8217;s the second reason? Read on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Inside Story Brought It All Together<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both Kate and I had grown a little frustrated by the time I got a few batches in. The cookies tasted nice enough, but they just didn&#8217;t deserve all the treasured memories we read about online. Sure, everyone loves toasted buttery goodness, but these weren&#8217;t all of that. I can make something even better with a standard butter or spritz cookie that won&#8217;t require fussing around with a piping bag. Same thing for the texture. Yes, they were delightfully crispy when fresh out of the oven, but they quickly toughened up and no amount of dunking could change it. If anything, we thought the cookies were downright dunk-resistant because all those egg whites seem to provide some insulation. Given a tray with an array of Cat Tongues alongside any of the butter cookie variations from Volume 1, the Cat Tongues would soon be lonely orphans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I had to be missing something, so I took the most recent (cinnamon) batch out in search of a native tester. Where was I going wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-pretty-frown-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1119\" width=\"524\" height=\"392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-pretty-frown-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-pretty-frown-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-pretty-frown-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-pretty-frown-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-pretty-frown-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-pretty-frown-1200x900.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 524px) 85vw, 524px\" \/><figcaption><em>NOTE FROM KATE: I was really happy with this particular series of photos, until I noticed that the custard was frowning!<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-complete-2-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1121\" width=\"526\" height=\"394\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-complete-2-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-complete-2-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-complete-2-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-complete-2-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-complete-2-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-smile-and-fruit-complete-2-1200x900.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 526px) 85vw, 526px\" \/><figcaption><em>NOTE FROM KATE: But once I flipped the offending sliver of orange peel, the entire composition brightened the cheerful glow I knew was hiding there somewhere! (That&#8217;s what you get when you anthropomorphize custard&#8230;)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Fortunately enough, we have an old friend who is not only a native of France but also a professional baker of extraordinary skill. Jean-Marc does not share America&#8217;s obsession with cinnamon, but even he approved the light hint contained in the batch I brought over. Then he ventured a polite suggestion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;It works, but I still miss the orange. We always made our Langues de Chat with orange zest so it would pair with the <em>cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e<\/em>.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;m sorry, what? That off-hand comment led to a conversation that finally flipped on that proverbial, cartoon light bulb in my head. It comes down to a simple, basic realization:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Cat Tongues do not compete with butter cookies, because they are not a standalone cookie to begin with. They are designed and intended to be served as an accompaniment to custard desserts like Jean-Marc&#8217;s cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e, cr\u00e8me caramel, ice cream, etc. The cookies use up extra egg whites; the custards use up extra yolks; and both sides get enhanced when they reunite with the cookie being used in place of a spoon.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aha! Gotcha! My expectations needed a sideways shift. Cat Tongues wouldn&#8217;t be lonely orphans on that tray, because they wouldn&#8217;t be there alone. They&#8217;d be sticking up out of a cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e like the ultimate edible spoon, and <em>that<\/em>, my friends, would not be the last survivor. Langues de Chat are a co-star, not a lead; an elegant and efficient way for fine dining establishments to transform another dessert from <em>delicious treat<\/em> into <em>memorable experience<\/em>; and thus they stand in a category all their own.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-angled-and-prety-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1116\" width=\"521\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-angled-and-prety-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-angled-and-prety-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-angled-and-prety-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-angled-and-prety-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-angled-and-prety-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-and-Creme-Brulee-ramekin-angled-and-prety-1200x900.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 521px) 85vw, 521px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>That<\/em> makes sense. It explains the hype, the romantic memories, and even the dunk-resistant texture. It also explains why keeping isn&#8217;t an issue, especially since they are easy to refresh with a quick pop in the oven prior to serving. And it made me much more excited than I&#8217;d been before. These are truly a Heritage Cookie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But wait, there&#8217;s more. Jean-Marc had another casual bombshell to drop. <em>&#8220;If the spreading gets too bad you can always cut back on the egg whites.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I&#8217;m sorry, what? <em>&#8220;But I thought the whole thing starts from that 1:1:1:1 ratio.&#8221;<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;It does,&#8221;<\/em> he said. <em>&#8220;But it&#8217;s still just the start. The recipe still works if you&#8217;re a little short on the whites, and sometimes we did it on purpose when they were coming out too thin.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Damn but that man is good. Consider me a swine who appreciates the pearls. So much for adding a fourth egg white and then spooning off the extra. Please don&#8217;t tell him that I was crazy enough to do such a thing. Jean-Marc shakes his head at our lack of sanity every time he sees those Christmas Snowflake Cookies. No need to reinforce the suspicion, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Final Problem: Time And Temperature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do the research and you&#8217;ll see two different approaches to the baking time for Langues de Chat. Either 375\u00b0 for \u2248 10 minutes, with strict instructions to spin the tray halfway through, or else \u2248 15 minutes at 350\u00b0, with cautions to think about spinning the trays if your oven has hot spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I tested both, and found that it really comes down to elusive differences in the amount and depth of the browning around the edges. 375\u00b0 gives faster and deeper browning with a slightly better array of colors, but the window between &#8220;brown&#8221; and &#8220;burnt&#8221; can grow kind of tight. That is why spinning the trays becomes vital, and why you also need to stand around for occasional checks as the cooking time comes to a close. 350\u00b0 takes a little longer and produces more of a uniform brown than the intriguing range of dark-to-tan, but it also requires less in the way of babysitting. The choice is entirely up to you. The distinctions are subtle at best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Just be aware that time and temperature aren&#8217;t the only factors. This is one of those recipes where the color of your cookie sheet can make a real difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Over the years we have amassed a collection of five different sheets, which now range from two that have gone black with years of use, one that is now blued steel, one that is gold-toned, and one that is still pure silver. The dark ones bake this cookie almost 3 minutes faster (at both temperatures) than the lightest one. That is a very significant difference! Account for that factor with your own baking sheets as you set forth on this journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Two Final Cautions &#8211; They Really Do Spread That Much, And Thus Your Piping Skills Will Matter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-better-1024x768.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1117\" width=\"511\" height=\"383\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-better-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-better-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-better-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-better-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-better-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-better-1200x900.jpeg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 511px) 85vw, 511px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The photos in this post show cookies that may be as wide as 2&#8243; across (5 cm) at their broadest spots. Every one of them started with an even <em>\u00bd<\/em>&#8221; (125 mm) bead from the piping tip. Do the math&#8230; No. Don&#8217;t bother. Let me summarize. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Cat Tongues spread way more than you&#8217;d ever believe, they do it to all directions, and they are magnetically attracted to each other in a demon-powered effort to meet, marry, and merge into a single, good for nothing mega-cookie.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Plan accordingly. Keep them well and truly separated. If you can only fit nine or ten on a cookie sheet, so be it. You are the cookie chaperone! Keep those little, grasping, would-be elopers well and truly apart. There is no such thing as a chaste little kiss. The tongues will lock and entwine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The only thing that really helps is good, even piping. Cookie gremlins view bumps or bulges as an open dare to see if there&#8217;s enough material to race off in some unexpected direction. My daughter Lee gets full credit for these clean-looking specimens because she possesses those skills. She got the piping bag because I do <em>not<\/em> possess those skills. The gremlins have my number. There&#8217;s nothing I can do beyond striking back at the evil, cookie destroying imps here, on paper. Vengeance is mine! Bwah-ha-ha-ha&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Extra Spice From Kate: <\/strong>These cookies really explode to their full potential when paired with custard, ice cream, or even a good yogurt with a bit of honey. For <em>cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e<\/em>, follow your favorite recipe. After a bit of fussing, I found that an even mix of white and brown sugar, broiled for one minute, worked best. As for the chocolate, it&#8217;s a matter of taste. Scott says he would love the chocolate accent with the &#8220;right&#8221; custard, but I find I prefer the crisp cookie plain. I compared store-bought meltaways with our usual semisweet chocolate amended by a bit of cocoa butter, and in this application they performed comparably.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8230;You have been warned. Jean Marc said the wicked things feed on extra egg whites, so the reduced amount may help, but I&#8217;m telling you: there&#8217;s something supernatural behind all this. You&#8217;ve got to be ready for their tricks!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>CONCLUSION<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cat Tongues a\/k\/a Langues de Chat are a special purpose cookie designed and intended to be a sort of edible spoon for custards such as cr\u00e8me br\u00fbl\u00e9e or a luscious homemade ice cream. Nothing on earth can match them for that targeted role. They&#8217;re also easy if you have some basic competence with a piping bag. Or a competent and draftable daughter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keep the flavors subtle, and by all means pair them up to match the accompanying dessert. And remember that the browned edges and bottoms are what you&#8217;re really after. If you keep that goal in mind, and follow those simple guidelines, you&#8217;ll be more than happy with the results. There really is something elevated and elegant about serving Langues de Chat alongside their companion treat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Enjoy!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" id=\"Recipe\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-1582x2048.jpg 1582w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-1200x1553.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-1-1-scaled.jpg 1978w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"791\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-791x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1069\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-791x1024.jpg 791w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-232x300.jpg 232w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-768x994.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-1187x1536.jpg 1187w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-1582x2048.jpg 1582w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-1200x1553.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-Langes-de-Chat-recipe-page-2-scaled.jpg 1978w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 709px) 85vw, (max-width: 909px) 67vw, (max-width: 984px) 61vw, (max-width: 1362px) 45vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Did you know? This world famous cookie with the evocative name is actually part of a pair<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1112,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[35,24,119],"tags":[38,157,161,160,162,156,158,159],"class_list":["post-1074","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-butter-cookies","category-french-cookies","category-wafer-cookies","tag-butter-cookies","tag-cat-tongues","tag-cookies-for-custards","tag-creme-brulee","tag-french-baking","tag-french-cookies","tag-langue-de-chat","tag-langues-de-chat"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/Cat-Tongues-one-chocolate-with-pretty-custard-and-orange-peel-closeup-and-pretty-scaled.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1074","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1074"}],"version-history":[{"count":40,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1074\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1696,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1074\/revisions\/1696"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1074"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1074"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.heritagecookies.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1074"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}