Breton Sand Cookies

Sablés cookies are a favorite of mine. A favorite to make, since they're essentially easy ice-box slice-and-bake cookies. The dough comes together quickly in a mixer and the unbaked dough can be stored in the freezer, waiting to be baked at a moment's notice. A favorite to eat; it's a rich, buttery cookie that crumbles beautifully upon the first bite. "Sablé" means "sand", referring to the sandy, crumbly texture of the cookie, achieved by working the flour as little as possible.

This is probably one of the simplest recipes in the book "Desserts by Pierre Hermé", though one cannot expect it to taste anything less than amazing from the man whom Vogue magazine has dubbed the "Picasso of pastry"!  The cookie is rich, buttery, delicately crumbly and at once sweet and salty.  The recipe states that these cookies should stay pale in color and be slightly soft, though I prefer mine baked slightly brown around the edges, so I let them stay in the oven a little longer. 


Breton sand cookies
Makes about 48 cookies
(adapted from Desserts by Pierre Hermé, written by Dorie Greenspan)

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten

Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside. In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until it is smooth and soft. Slowly add sugar, then salt. Continue beating, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed, until mixture is pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the yolks and beat to incorporate.  Remove bowl from mixer and fold in sifted dry ingredients gently with a rubber spatula. Do not overwork the dough.

On a smooth working surface, divide dough in half. Roll each half into logs about 1.5 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated for 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.)

When ready to bake cookies, preheat oven to 165°C and set out a muffin tin. Unwrap one log and slice into 1/3- to 1/2-inch thickness.

Place one slice of dough into each cup of the muffin tin.

Bake for 12-15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Repeat with remaining dough. These cookies are meant to be pale in color and should be slightly soft. Though I prefer mine a little more crunchy and brown around the edges, so I bake my cookies for a further 5 minutes.