Sweet Sablés for Summer

Sablé cookies come from the Sable-sur-Sarthe, Normandy Region, in France and receive their name from the French word, “sable,” meaning sandy. When preparing the mixture, bakers add cold butter to the flour and sugar, which resembles the appearance of sand. Although sablé cookies are a close cousin to the sugar cookie, the ingredient ratios are quite different, which ultimately gives them a tender, more buttery taste. There are a few helpful hints to making these seemingly simple cookies as well: first, don’t over-aerate the mixture, as you don’t want the cookies to rise in the oven. Second, always chill the dough before baking. Sablé cookies will also keep their shape while baking, so you can try the rolled log version or be a bit more creative. Lemon zest, parmesan cheese, and even chocolate can be added to vary the recipe according to one’s liking. Sablés are France’s equivalent to America’s chocolate chip cookie, but – of course – with a lot more butter!

Check out a recipe for sablés here: https://www.baking-sense.com/2018/09/26/sable-cookies/

• 2 sticks (8 oz, 224g) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (4 oz, 112g) confectioner’s sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups (10 oz, 280g) all-purpose flour
• 2 large egg whites, beaten
• 1 cup crystal sugar