casse-dents or croquants aux amandes (GF-DF)

We had a wonderful time in the Provence this summer.
It was a big feast of colors, odours, nature vs. (old) culture, love and peace, tastes, visits and meetings with new and old friends.
After, I think, 25 years we came back to this beautiful, vibrating place in France.

It’s full of farmer’ markets and local producers are selling their beautiful vegetables, chèvres, honey, wines, olives and olive oil everywhere. A lot of the produce is organically grown.
I had totally forgotten the true taste of a sun ripen tomato and peaches and apricots straight from the tree.

The pace in the Provence is slow, it’s slow cooking, slow dining, slow living, slow enjoying, slow petanque, slow shopping, slow walking; the sun is there almost every day, the mountains, the old landscape, the houses, villages, hameaux, the flowers, the fruits all had the time to grow.
I love it!! I want to be there more often and we will!

The only BUT for a celiac patient are the patisseries, they are all gorgeous, but only to look at for me, there are no petits gateaux pour moi!
When I had my birthday I found glutenfree meringues and I made these beauties with fresh berries and crème fraîche, mmm.

Today I made gluten-free croquants aux amandes or casse-dents (break your teeth’s! So beware).
They are really crunchy, partly because there is no use of butter or oil, only the natural fats from the almonds are in.

Casse-Dents or Croquantes aux Amandes (GF – DF)

100 g almonds
200 g rice flour (I use Dove’s Farm)
75 g raw cane sugar
pinch of salt
1 tbs orange zest or candied orange peel
2 organic eggs
2 tbs orange blossom water

Pre-heat the oven on 190˚ C

Roast the almonds with the skin on in a casserole with a thick bottom about 10 minutes. Set them aside and let them cool. Then chop them roughly with a big knife.

Mix the dry ingredients, make a little well in the middle and put the eggs in with the 2 tablespoons of orange blossom water.
Mix with a fork and then throw in the chopped almonds and knead with one hand.
Form 2 logs, flatten them with your hands and lay them on a piece of baking paper on the baking tray.
Bake 10 minutes in the oven, then turn them and bake another 10 minutes.

Take them out of the oven, let them cool 5 minutes and then slice them with a very sharp knife. Place them back in the oven for another 10 minutes, let them cool completely.
Enjoy in the morning with a nice café crème or in the afternoon with an infusion of verveine. They are also great to take with you on a brisk walk! Enjoy!!