French Sable Cookies
A French favorite - a simple butter cookie similar to shortbread. “Sable” means “sand” in French and this is one sand that you should definitely eat!
French Sable Cookies
1/2 cup butter softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1 egg yolk at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/8 cups all-purpose or cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar for coating the shaped dough, before baking
-Cream the butter and powdered sugar, until pale in color and light in texture. Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract: Mix in until combined.
-Add the flour and mix to form a soft dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
-Remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide into 2 pieces. Roll each piece into a log shape of approximately 4 inches (10cm) in length and 1 inch (3cm) in diameter. -Wrap the log shapes separately in plastic wrap and freeze for 45 minutes.
-Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
-Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking silicone mat. Remove dough logs from the freezer and unwrap the shaped dough. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of granulated sugar onto a tray or large plate. Roll each of the log-shaped dough in the sugar, coating them evenly. Cut each log into slices that are slightly less than 1/2-inch thick, and then arrange them on a baking sheet.
-Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges are slightly golden. Tops sill still be pale in color. Remove from the oven but leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. The baked cookies will be soft when you take them out of the oven but crisp as they cool. After 5 minutes on the baking tray, the cookies will be firm and crisp enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
-Once completely cool, serve or store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Makes 18 - 20 cookies.
Shape the dough into 2 log shapes and wrap in plastic to chill.
Roll each log in sugar until well coated all over.
Slice each log into rounds, just under 1/2 inch thick.
Place cookies on baking sheet covered with a silpad or parchment paper.
Bake until just golden around the edges, 12 - 15 minutes.
Allow to cool completely and serve or store in airtight container.
PERSNICKETY NOTES:
**Do not skip the steps of chilling the dough as described in the recipe above. Chilling makes the dough easier to handle and helps the cookies keep their shape during baking.
**Sprinkle additional sugar over the tops of the cookies when removing from oven and they are still warm (optional).
