Sablés Breton

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.

Dessert