Florentine Base from Pastry Star is the shortcut to those thin, lacy cookies that set up like spun amber glass. Fold in sliced almonds, spread the batter out, and the oven does the rest.

In the heat the blend loosens to a pool of clear caramel, then cools into a brittle sheet that shatters under a fork. That same crackle carries to almond cakes, cereal cakes, and crunchy coatings.