Sablés Breton
Even though we’re using salted butter, I’ve also added a pinch of flaky sea salt to the recipe simply because I love the burst of salt a flaky sea salt gives to a cookie. Maldon is easy to find (and increasingly, French salt is easier to find outside France too) but if you’re in France anytime, it’s a pretty great souvenir to pick up!
Ingredients
For the sablés
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons (3 oz) European-style (fat content 82-83%) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting the work surface
For the egg wash
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Instructions
Make the sablés
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190˚C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar, butter, and salt on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue to mix on medium speed until fully incorporated. The mixture may look slightly curdled but just keep mixing!
- Add the flour and continue to mix on low speed until the dough just starts to come together, 1 to 2 minutes. It should hold together if you squeeze it between your fingers.
- Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Bring the dough together in a ball, then flatten it slightly to make a disk. If the edges are cracking, pinch them together with your fingers.
- Roll the dough out until it's about 1/4-inch (6-mm) thick. Using a 2-inch (5 cm) round cookie cutter, cut as many cookies as you can. Re-roll the remaining dough and cut into rounds. You should have about 20 cookies.
☞ TESTER TIP: These cookies don’t require a rest but if you’re working in a warm kitchen or climate, the dough might benefit from a spell in the fridge. Chill dough for a few minutes after you’ve rolled it out but before you cut out the cookies.
- Using an offset spatula if necessary, lift and place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
Make the egg wash
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and cream or milk.
- Use the tines of a fork to make a cross-hatch pattern on the cookies (drag the tines vertically then horizontally across the top of the cookies). Brush the tops of the cookies carefully with the egg wash (don’t let it drip down the side as it will prevent the cookies from rising).
- Bake the cookies until golden on top, 13 to 16 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, place them on a wire cooling rack and let cool to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 74kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 65mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g