Sumbul’s Sable Cookies: French Sables- Jam- filled
We all celebrate and enjoy winter holidays according to our beliefs and customs. But one thing is common for all of us and that is enjoying desserts and goodies.
In this beautiful month of December, I wanted to share the recipe for these rich and buttery French cookies that will melt in your mouth and that you can get creative with in so many ways. These will also make a perfect holiday gift.
Tip: Don’t skip brushing with egg whites as this will be working as glue, first attach two layers of the cookies and then hold down sugar crystals. Also, keep your egg yolks cold. Don’t replace confectioner sugar with regular sugar. And if baking two trays at a time make sure to rotate them halfway through baking.
Sumbul’s Sable Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioner sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp orange zest
2 sticks or 1 cup of cold butter
5 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg white for brushing the tops
Turbinado sugar or other colorful crystal sugar for sprinkling on the top
Different jams and preserves for filling in
We will be baking these at 350 F for 15 minutes. Line two baking trays with parchment or just grease them.
Combine flour, confectioner sugar, and salt. Pass through a sifter to remove lumps from flour and sugar. Transfer to a large bowl and cut cold butter in there.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl of a food processor and pulse till the flour resembles sand. Transfer back to the bowl. Now add egg yolks, vanilla, and zest. Knead with your hands till the dough comes together. Don't over-knead.
Cover it and refrigerate it for 30 minutes. Then start rolling the dough on a floured surface. Roll to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut out your shapes with cookie cutters. Remove the center part with a round tip from half of your cutout cookies.
Now brush the tops with egg whites of those raw cookies that have no holes in them. Now place the cookies with the holes in them on top of the other whole part. Position and press gently to seal them.
Now again brush the tops with more egg whites and sprinkle with sugar crystals. Fill the cutout gaps with jams and preserve. Transfer to the prepared trays and bake on the upper and lower third shelves for 15 minutes or when the tops are lightly golden.
Remember to rotate trays halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let them stand in the trays for 2 minutes before transferring to cooling racks. Serve with tea or coffee. They will melt right in your mouth. Enjoy and happy holidays in advance!