Sables Recipes

PIERRE HERMé'S ISPAHAN SABLéS

Steps:

• To make the sugar: Put the sugar, extract and a few drops of coloring in a small zipper-lock plastic bag, seal the bag and shake until the color is even. Add more color if you'd like.
• To make the sablés: Put the raspberries between sheets of wax paper, and crush them with a rolling pin or the bottom of a skillet. Don't expect perfection - it's fine to have mostly powder and a few small nuggets. Whisk the raspberries into the flour.
• Working with a mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until it's soft and creamy, but not airy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, extract and fleur de sel, and beat 3 minutes more. Turn the mixer off, scrape down the bowl, add the flour mixture all at once and pulse the mixer on and off to begin incorporating the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the dough forms soft curds and then starts to clean the sides of the bowl. Give it a few last turns with a spatula, then scrape it out onto the counter. Divide the dough into 4 pieces, and roll each into an 8-inch-long log.
• Spread the sugar out on a piece of wax paper, and roll the logs in the sugar until they're completely coated. Wrap each log in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
• When you're ready to bake, position the racks to divide the oven into thirds, and preheat it to 325. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Unwrap the logs, trim the ends if they're ragged and cut the logs into ½-inch-thick rounds. Place them on the baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each round.
• Bake the cookies for 19 to 21 minutes, rotating the sheets top to bottom and front to back after 10 minutes, or until the cookies are firm around the edges and golden brown on the bottom; the tops will remain pale. Rest the sablés for 2 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks. Serve - or pack into a container - when the cookies come to room temperature.

FRENCH SABLES

Steps:

• Cream the butter and sugar. Add egg yolk and vanilla and beat thoroughly. Combine flour and salt. Add to the butter mixture and blend until the dough is smooth. On a very lightly floured surface, shape the dough into cylinders about 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush refrigerated logs with beaten egg and roll in crystalline sugar. With a sharp knife, slice the dough into rounds about 1/3-inch thick. Place 1-inch apart on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the cookies are slightly colored around the edges.

ESPRESSO CHOCOLATE SABLÉS

Steps:

• Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water. Set the extract aside to cool to lukewarm or room temperature.
• Working with a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat the butter, sugar, salt and cinnamon, if you're using it, together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed, until well blended.
• Mix in the vanilla and espresso extract on low speed. Turn off the mixer, add the flour all at once and pulse to begin incorporating it, then mix on low speed until the flour almost disappears into the dough. Scrape down the bowl, add the chopped chocolate and mix until evenly distributed. Give the dough a few last turns with a sturdy flexible spatula.
• Turn the dough out onto the counter and divide it in half. Shape each half into a disk. Working with one piece of dough at a time, sandwich it between pieces of parchment paper and roll it to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Slide the dough, still sandwiched, onto a baking sheet-you can stack the slabs-and freeze the dough for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
• Getting ready to bake:
• Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 325ºF. Butter or spray a regular muffin tin, or two tins, if you've got them. Have a 2-inch-diameter cookie cutter at hand.
• Working with one sheet of dough at a time, peel away both pieces of paper and put the dough back on one piece of paper. Cut the dough and drop the rounds into the muffin tin(s).
• The dough might not fill the molds completely, but it will once baked. Save the scraps from both pieces of dough, then gather them together, re-roll, chill and cut.
• Bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes, or until they feel firm to the touch and have some color. Transfer the muffin tin(s) to a rack and leave the cookies in the tin(s) for about 10 minutes before carefully lifting them out onto the rack to cool completely.
• Continue with the remainder of the dough, if you only baked one sheet, always using cool tins.
• Playing Around
• For Ringed Espresso-Chocolate Sablés: If you have 2-inch baking rings, use them to cut out the rolled dough. Bake the dough-in the rings-on lined baking sheets just as you would the muffin-tin cookies. Leave the rings in place for at least 20 minutes before lifting them off, rinsing and reusing.

SABLE COOKIES

Steps:

• Line baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat; set aside.
• Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor; process until creamy. Add egg yolks, salt, and vanilla; process for 30 seconds until combined. Add 1 cup flour and process until smooth. Add remaining cup of flour to processor; process to combine. Turn dough out onto work surface and form into flat square; wrap with plastic wrap and transfer to refrigerator until chilled.
• Place a nonstick baking mat on work surface. Place half of the chilled dough on baking mat; top with a sheet of plastic wrap. Roll out dough between baking mat and plastic wrap until it is 1/8-inch-thick. Transfer to fridge to chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat process with remaining dough.
• Using a 2-inch round fluted cookie cutter, cut out dough and transfer to prepared baking sheets. Transfer baking sheets to refrigerator until dough is chilled, about 20 minutes. Roll out scraps, and repeat. Repeat process with remaining dough. Transfer to refrigerator and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Mix together remaining egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water; brush tops of cookies with egg white mixture. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Transfer to oven. Bake until cookies are pale golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

COCOA SABLES

Steps:

• Mix flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture looks like overwhipped whipped cream. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract; mix well. Add dry ingredients. Use a spatula to mix them in until evenly moistened.
• Divide the dough into thirds or quarters and knead a little bit on a large sheet of waxed paper. Gather into a ball, then shape into a 1 1/2-inch cylinder or square tube. Wrap up with the waxed paper, pushing in the sides so that the tube is evenly thick from left to right. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice dough into 1/4-inch thick cookies with a sharp knife. Arrange on the baking sheets, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before eating.

POILâNE'S CORN SABLéS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, working with a mixer on medium speed, beat the sugar, egg and egg yolk until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the butter, and beat until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add the corn flour and all-purpose flour to a medium bowl, and whisk until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
• Lightly flour a work surface, and turn the dough out onto it. Divide the dough in half, and shape into 2 discs. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw for at least 3 hours at room temperature before rolling.)
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Lightly flour a work surface and a rolling pin. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time, roll the dough out 1/4-inch thick, reflouring the surface and pin as needed. Cut out 2-inch rounds, and place 1/2 inch apart on the baking sheets. Gather the scraps, reroll and cut out more cookies. Refrigerate the cookies on the baking sheets for 30 minutes before baking. (Alternatively, you can stack the cut-out rounds between sheets of parchment or wax paper, cover and refrigerate; place on baking sheets when you're ready to bake the cookies.)
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, and heat to 350 degrees. Bake the cookies until the centers are set and the edges are very lightly browned, 17 to 19 minutes. Rotate the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through the baking time. Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.