Biscuit rose de Reims
Photo: GOLDIEM J · Public domain

History

Its creation dates to the 1690s, when Champenois bakers made a dough baked once and then left in the cooling bread oven to dry, the origin of the word bis-cuit, cooked twice. It was white at first and turned pink with carmine to hide the black specks of vanilla. Maison Fossier, founded in 1756 as Noël-Houzeau and supplier to the coronation of Louis XVI, took the name of the Reims baker Fossier in 1845 and is now the last keeper of the recipe; a dozen traditionally weighs 100g.

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Common allergens: Gluten, Eggs

Make it at home

Yield Makes about 30Hands-on 30 minTotal 1 hr 30 minDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs, separated
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • A few drops of natural red food colouring (carmine or beetroot)
  • 140g plain flour
  • 20g cornflour
  • Icing sugar for dusting

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 180°C and line two trays with baking paper.
  2. Whisk the yolks with the sugar and vanilla until pale and thick, then add the colouring a drop at a time until the mix is pale pink.
  3. Whisk the whites to firm peaks and fold them in with the sifted flour and cornflour in three additions, keeping the air in.
  4. Pipe fingers about 8cm long, dust them twice with icing sugar and bake for 12 minutes.
  5. Turn the oven down to 90°C and leave the biscuits to dry for 45 minutes, until they snap cleanly.

Tip from the editors. The second, low bake is what makes them biscuits roses; store them in a tin and they keep crisp for weeks.

Where to eat biscuit rose de reims

Biscuit rose de Reims in Reims

Maison Fossier ★ 4.4

€€ BakeryBiscuits roses de Reims, the pink biscuit made in the cityHors CentreWalk-in only

Maison Fossier sells biscuits roses de Reims, the pink biscuits it has made since 1756, from its factory shop in the La Neuvillette district of Reims.

Worth the queueBiscuit rose de Reims, the twice-baked pink biscuit

TipThe historic Fossier shop is at 25 cours Jean-Baptiste Langlet, near the cathedral; this factory shop is in the La Neuvillette district of Reims.

Directions

Café de la Paix ★ 4.0

€€ BrasseriePlace D Erlon

Café de la Paix is the brasserie of the Hôtel de la Paix on Rue Buirette in Reims, open seven days with homemade menus and a pink-biscuit tiramisu.

OrderThe Menu Brasserie, finished with the tiramisu made from Reims pink biscuits.

TipThe entrance is through the Hôtel de la Paix at 9 Rue Buirette, and a lunch menu runs Monday to Friday.

Directions

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