Officially known as paillette feuilletine, this is a crispy and crunchy confection that’s made from sweetened and thin crepes. The batter is usually baked for a few minutes and is cooled down to achieve a crispy texture. It has a toasty and caramel flavor and adds texture to the desserts. However, if you don’t know where to find feuilletine and need to add them to the recipe, we have some substitutes available for you!
Feuilletine Substitutes
- Cornflakes
The first substitute that you can try is to use cornflakes. They can bind the ingredients and coat them. Cornflakes are widely used as breakfast cereal and add a crunchy texture to the food. In addition, they have a neutral flavor, which means they can be added to salty as well as sweet recipes. On the other hand, if you don’t want to use cornflakes, you can also opt for wheat flakes and bran flakes, but they only work well in sweet recipes.
- Breadcrumbs
If you only want feuilletine to add crispy texture to the food, you can opt for breadcrumbs. For instance, you can use the breadcrumbs to add a crispy exterior to meat and baked goods to add crunch. In addition, it’s a great way of binding the ingredients. The breadcrumbs are available in the grocery stores, but you can also blend the dried bread slices to make your own breadcrumbs. The fastest way of making breadcrumbs is to bake the bread slices in the oven and blend them to make the crumbs.
- Panko Breadcrumbs
If the regular breadcrumbs aren’t suitable for your dish, you can also opt for panko breadcrumbs. These are basically Japanese breadcrumbs and have a crispier texture as compared to regular breadcrumbs. For this reason, they can be used in deep-frying recipes. The panko breadcrumbs can hold their texture and add a crispy layer to the exterior.
- Biscuits
If you are looking for a feuilletine substitute for desserts or sweet recipes, you can opt for biscuits. In particular, you should opt for digestive biscuits because they are extremely crispy and crunchy when broken and make a great addition to sweet recipes. However, you cannot use them for savory recipes. In case you don’t like digestive biscuits, you can opt for other biscuits, depending on the flavor and texture you want. For the most part, the biscuits can be used for topping as well as the base.
- Crisps
In case you are looking for feuilletine substitutes for savory recipes, you can opt for potato crisps. The potato crisps are crunchy and salty, and when they are crunched, they can be added to savory recipes. For instance, you can use them as a crispy topping for mac and cheese, or you can coat the food before deep-frying. The best thing about crisps is that they are available in various flavors, depending on the recipe, such as plantain, cassava, and corn crisps.
- Mashed Potato Flakes
Another alternative is to use instant mashed potatoes because they have a flaky texture and a salty flavor. In addition, you can use these flakes as a coating for food that has to be deep-fried. On the other hand, the mashed potato flakes don’t work as a topping and cannot be used in baked and sweet recipes.
- Crackers
The crackers also make a great substitute for feuilletine since the texture is similar. When the crackers are crushed, they have a similar consistency and can be used in sweet as well as savory recipes. It’s recommended that you add plain crackers and add the seasonings. For instance, you can add honey, cinnamon, and sugar for sweet recipes. On the other hand, you can add salt, garlic, and pepper for savory dishes. The crackers are extremely versatile, so make sure you have them in the pantry at all times.
- Croutons
The croutons are convenient substitutes as they are available in the supermarket in the premade form. The premade croutons can be crushed in the blender, or you can crush them in a plastic bag. When crushed, croutons have a similar consistency as feuilletine, which is why you can add them to savory recipes. However, you must remember that croutons have more flavor, so consider your recipe!