Boule de Neige

Boule de neige is a small, round baked confection coated with powdered sugar. Its name means “snowball” in French, and beneath the fine, white powdered sugar, a dough of butter and nuts crumbles tenderly. Coating it with powdered sugar twice, once while it is still warm from the oven and again after it has cooled completely, gives it a white finish. In the English-speaking world it also appears on Christmas cookie platters, and the same snowball form goes by several names.

Ground Nuts and Chopped Nuts

In a recipe (ingredient proportions and method) made with almonds, powdered sugar is mixed into softened butter, and then flour and almond flour are added. The dough comes together without eggs; once it has been mixed until no flour is visible, it is rolled into small balls and baked. Rather than being kneaded at length to develop elasticity as with bread, the dough moves on to shaping as soon as the flour and fat have come together.

Finely ground nuts and chopped pieces play different roles. Ground almonds blend into the whole dough, while chopped toasted nuts leave a slight bite within the crumbling texture. There are also related recipes that use not only almonds but also walnuts, pecans, and other nuts.

A guide to doneness is when the surface has set in shape and the edges have taken on a faint color. Rather than bringing out a strong toasted flavor with deep browning, the aim is to keep the flavor of butter and nuts in a lightly crumbling dough. Fresh from the oven, they break easily, so they are left to stand briefly until firm enough to handle.

Coating Twice with Powdered Sugar for a White Finish

One way to achieve a white finish is to coat them with powdered sugar twice. The first coat goes on while they are still warm. The powdered sugar settles onto the surface and covers the confection in a thin layer. The second coat, after they have cooled completely, adds a fine, white layer. Powdered sugar adheres easily while they are warm, and adding another layer after cooling leaves a dry whiteness.

Powdered sugar is used both in the dough and on the outside. In the mouth, the fine texture of the powdered sugar on the surface comes first, and then the butter and nut dough comes apart.

Names in Different Places and Old Records of Nut Confections

In the English-speaking world, similar confections are also called snowball cookie, Russian tea cake, and Mexican wedding cookie. Together with the French boule de neige, they share the same form: butter and flour with added nuts, rolled into balls, baked, and coated with powdered sugar. However, the route by which a single confection may have spread to various countries is not certain.

Fun With Food, published in 1948 by a women’s organization in Baltimore, contains a recipe for Russian tea cakes. It uses butter, powdered sugar, flour, chopped nuts, and vanilla, and the sugar is applied twice, after baking and after cooling. The method was passed on to American homes under the “Russian” name, but any connection with Russia, and how the French name came about, remain unclear.

Even earlier in the United States, the name “Mexican wedding cake” appeared in the readers’ column of American Cookery in 1937, where it was described as a small confection containing nuts and coated with powdered sugar. This name appears earlier than the period assumed by the theory that it was renamed from the Russian name during the Cold War, but where in Russia or Mexico it originated has not been established.

A 10th-century cookbook from Baghdad includes small, round baked confections made with sesame oil, as well as ones containing almonds and shaped into crescents. They differ from the powdered-sugar snowball in both fat and shape, and they show how similar nut confections took different forms in different places.

Small Baked Treats on Festive Tables

Betty Crocker, the American cooking brand, has featured a recipe for Russian tea cakes since 1950 and still presents them as a treat for Christmas cookie platters, gifts, and cookie exchanges. Because they are rolled small, baked in batches, and can be picked up one at a time, they suit festive tables laid out with many kinds of baked goods. The name “Mexican wedding cookie” is also used in recipes from the company and from flour milling companies.

In Japan, “boule de neige” also refers to the white snowball shape, but the flavor varies with the nuts used, such as almonds, walnuts, or pecans, and with whether citrus is included. Even when they share the whiteness of powdered sugar and a crumbly dough, there is no single formula from place to place.

Recipes That Vary the Nuts and Citrus

Among the boules de neige introduced in Japan, there is also a recipe that mixes orange peel and white chocolate into an almond dough. Keeping the pieces small and uniform allows the add-ins to be mixed evenly even into a small, bite-sized confection. Some French-language recipes also use both ground almonds and roasted chopped almonds.

There are also snowballs made without nuts, based on flour and butter and flavored with lemon. Mixing powdered lemon juice into the powdered sugar brings acidity to the outside as well. Although they share the white round shape, the texture and acidity change with how nuts and citrus are used.

Glossary

Parade'sBoule de Neige Chocolat / Boule de Neige Chocolat

Made with rice flour by Cafe & Sweets Parade Kyoto, a pâtisserie in Fushimi-Momoyama, Kyoto, our Boule de Neige Chocolat has a crumbly, melt-away texture and a rich chocolate flavor that fills your mouth.

A boule de neige is a traditional baked confection whose name means “snowball” in French.
True to its name, it is known for its charming, plump round shape and a delicate texture that crumbles the moment you put it in your mouth.

At Parade, we use no wheat flour or eggs, and the dough is made with Japanese-grown rice flour.
On top of the light, crumbly, melt-in-the-mouth texture unique to rice flour, we have carefully layered the deep, rich flavors of cocoa and chocolate.
By finely adjusting the proportions of ingredients, the way the dough is mixed, and the baking, we have created a flavor that is simple yet full of depth.

It goes well with coffee or tea, of course, and we also recommend it as a snack or a small gift.
Please enjoy this chocolate baked sweet for every day, created through ingredients chosen to be gentle on the body and the handwork of our pâtissiers.

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