Succès Biscuit

Please note: This recipe is part of the Premium section.

Meet the succès biscuit: a study in elegant simplicity and exquisite texture. At its heart, it is a meringue, but not just any meringue. Enriched with finely ground almond meal, it bakes into something truly special—a delicate disc that is shatteringly crisp on the outside, yet tender and almost chewy within. If you know and love the unique shell of a perfect macaron, you will recognize this delightful contrast instantly. But the journey doesn't end here. This sublime biscuit is more than a standalone treat; it is the essential foundation, the building block of a legendary dessert. Mastering it is your first step towards creating the revered Lenôtre hazelnut succès, a masterpiece of pastry architecture.

Succès Biscuit

Course: Cakes, Pastries

Cuisine: French

Keyword: buttercream, succes

Prep Time: 35

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 35

Servings: disks

Calories: 90kcal

Cost: $8

Lenôtre's iconic pastry

Equipment

1 9-inch/23cm tart ring to draw circles
2 Baking trays
1 Stand mixer
1 Food processor
1 Rubber spatula
1 Dough scraper
1 Large offset spatula
1 Piping bag
1 Plain piping tip #807

Ingredients

Succès Biscuit

4 each Egg whites
2 g Cream of tartar
100 g Fine white sugar
70 g Powdered sugar
70 g Almond meal
20 g Milk

Instructions

Draw 4 circles with a charcoal pencil. Flip parchment and lightly grease it with oil or cooking spray. Wipe off excess grease with paper towel.

Succès Biscuit

In a food processor, turn powdered sugar and almond meal into fine powder it is called ''Tant Pour Tant / TPT''.
Transfer almond mixture to a large pastry bowl, add milk and turn into paste.
Milk will contribute to a chewier interior upon succès biscuit is baked.
For the meringue: Beat egg whites with cream of tartar and sugar (25g) on medium speed for a few minutes. Increase mixer speed to high, add remaining sugar gradually and beat until stiff peaks form. Turn fan oven on to 260ºF/130ºC.
With a rubber spatula, incorporate some of the meringue into the almond-sugar mixture.
Once fully incorporated, fold in the remaining meringue.
Pipe almond meringue into 2 disks. Perhaps you'll have extra to make a few 2.5-inch/5cm Ø circles to make individual cakes.

Baking

Bake disks for 60 minutes. Turn oven off and leave succes inside for 15 minutes more if needed. The succès is baked when it feels hard to the touch but not overdone.