Cigarette Butter Cookie (Yoku Moku Cigare)

Method20 steps · about 33 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Heat the oven to 170°C / 338°F. Weigh one egg white of 33–36 g, then weigh the same amount of butter and melt it completely. Choose either the spoon method (steps 6–9) or the stencil method (steps 10–14) for each tray.

   Uses 1 egg white (about 34 g) · Butter equal to the weighed egg white

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the weighed egg white and caster sugar (40 g) with a whisk until the sugar mostly dissolves. Stir to combine without whipping the mixture into foam.

   Uses Weighed egg white · 40 g caster sugar

3. 3

   Step 3: Mix the melted butter into the egg white and sugar mixture.

   Uses Melted butter matching the egg white weight · Egg white and sugar mixture

4. 4

   Step 4: Mix in one third of the sifted flour (10 g), then mix in the remaining 20 g flour and all 10 g almond meal until combined.

   Uses Egg, sugar and butter mixture · 10 g flour first, then remaining 20 g · 10 g almond meal, sifted

5. 5

   Step 5: Stir in the optional vanilla bean paste (⅛ tsp). The batter should form a soft peak that bends immediately when the whisk is lifted. If the batter becomes firm in a cold kitchen, set its bowl over a bowl containing a little warm water and stir until it softens; keep the water out of the batter.

   Uses Mixed cookie batter · ⅛ tsp vanilla bean paste, optional · Warm water for optional external warming bath

   
6. 6

   Step 6: Spoon method only: skip steps 10–14. Cut baking paper to fit a large baking tray.

7. 7

   Step 7: Spoon method only: draw 3–4 circles about 11 cm / 4¼ inches across on the back of the paper, leaving 2–3 cm / 1 inch between them. Put the paper on the tray with the drawn side down.

8. 8

   Step 8: Spoon method only: put a little more than 1 tbsp batter in the centre of each circle. Keep the remaining batter for later trays.

   Uses A little more than 1 tbsp batter per circle, spoon route only

9. 9

   Step 9: Spoon method only: spread the batter with the back of a spoon to fill each circle evenly, about 1 mm / 3/64 inch thick. Avoid a very thin centre. Continue at step 15.

   Uses Batter portions on the spoon-method tray

   
10. 10

    Step 10: Stencil method only: skip steps 6–9. Make an 11 cm / 4¼ inch circular opening in a food-safe sheet about 1 mm thick, leaving a 2–3 cm / 1 inch margin on three sides and a larger margin on the fourth.

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Stencil method only: line a baking tray with paper cut to fit.

12. 12

    Step 12: Stencil method only: place the stencil near a corner of the lined tray and put a little more than 1 tbsp batter at one end of its opening. Keep the rest for the other circles and later trays.

    Uses A little more than 1 tbsp batter per circle, stencil route only

13. 13

    Step 13: Stencil method only: use an icing spatula to spread the batter across the opening in an even layer about 1 mm / 3/64 inch thick. Use the excess to fill any gaps.

    Uses Batter portion in the stencil opening

14. 14

    Step 14: Stencil method only: lift off the stencil and repeat for the remaining circles, leaving 2–3 cm / 1 inch between them. Remove the stencil from the tray before baking.

    Uses Spread stencil-method batter circles · More batter for the remaining stencil circles, stencil route only

15. 15

    Step 15: Bake one tray prepared by your chosen method on the middle oven shelf for about 5½–6 minutes, until the cookie edges turn light brown. Baking time varies with thickness and oven strength.

    Bake one tray of cookies · 6 minUses Prepared circles, only if using the spoon method · Prepared circles, only if using the stencil method

16. 16

    Step 16: Remove the tray and promptly peel off one cookie while it is hot and floppy. Work on the warm tray; thin cotton gloves can help protect your hands.

    Uses One hot baked cookie to roll

17. 17

    Step 17: Roll the warm cookie away from you on the tray, starting at its near edge. You can roll it around a chopstick to form the tube.

    Uses Hot flexible cookie

18. 18

    Step 18: Finish the roll and hold the end in place for about 5 seconds to secure it.

    Uses Rolled warm cookie

19. 19

    Step 19: Roll the other cookies from this tray in the same way before they harden. Put the rolled cookies on a rack to cool and become crisp.

    Uses First rolled cookie · Other hot baked cookies from this tray

20. 20

    Step 20: Repeat your chosen shaping method, baking and hot rolling with the remaining batter until it is used up. For later trays, spread batter on cool paper on the worktop before transferring it to a hot tray. The batch makes about 10 cookies; let all of them cool on the rack.

    Uses Remaining batter for later trays · Rolled cookies cooling on the rack