Pailleté feuilletine
Pailleté feuilletine is thin crisp wafer flakes, made by crushing a baked lace batter related to crêpe dentelle. It also appears under the names royaltine and feuilletine.
In pastry it serves a single purpose: textural contrast. It goes into cake layers and bonbon fillings to add crunch amid soft creams and mousses.
The classic use is a crisp layer built on praliné or gianduja: nut paste is combined with melted chocolate and feuilletine, spread thin and chilled. The chocolate is there for flavour and for protection alike.
Its enemy is moisture. The flakes are hygroscopic and go soft within hours in a damp environment, losing the point of them entirely. That is why they are always insulated in fat — chocolate or nut paste — and never combined directly with creams or purées.
Store airtight, and use an opened pack quickly.