Cocoa Sables Recipes

COCOA NIB SABLéS WITH FLAKY SEA SALT

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or beaters, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk, vanilla and fine sea salt until combined. Beat in flour until just combined, then fold in cocoa nibs.
• Shape dough into a 1-inch-thick disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• Between two sheets of parchment paper, roll dough until it's 1/4-inch thick, then chill the dough for at least 30 minutes or until firm.
• Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven, and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
• Use a 2-inch round cutter to cut out cookies, and transfer to lined cookie sheets. Re-roll and cut scraps.
• Bake cookies until they are puffed and deeply golden, 18 to 25 minutes, rotating and switching the cookie sheets on racks halfway through. Cool cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling completely.
• Place bittersweet chocolate in a small bowl with the coconut oil. Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring after each burst. Alternatively, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, and stir until chocolate is smooth and melted.
• Using a fork, drizzle the chocolate over the cooled cookies. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt while the chocolate is still melted. Let set for at least an hour or two before serving cookies. Or store in an airtight container, between layers of parchment or wax paper, for up to 3 days.

COCOA SABLES

Steps:

• Mix flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture looks like overwhipped whipped cream. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract; mix well. Add dry ingredients. Use a spatula to mix them in until evenly moistened.
• Divide the dough into thirds or quarters and knead a little bit on a large sheet of waxed paper. Gather into a ball, then shape into a 1 1/2-inch cylinder or square tube. Wrap up with the waxed paper, pushing in the sides so that the tube is evenly thick from left to right. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice dough into 1/4-inch thick cookies with a sharp knife. Arrange on the baking sheets, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before eating.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE SABLE COOKIES (FRANCE)

Steps:

• Grate the chilled chocolate with a fine grater or rasp and set aside.
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and sea salt.
• Beat the butter and sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until just combined. Mix in the yolk. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and beat lightly together until just combined but still crumbly. Fold in grated chocolate with a spatula. Bring the dough together by lightly squeezing in your hands; but don't knead or overwork, as the secret to these cookies is their delicate, sandy texture.
• Divide the dough in half. Lay half the dough on a long sheet of waxed paper and shape into a log along the width of the waxed paper, leaving some space at each end. Pull the paper over the top of the log. Grip the edge of the top piece of paper, and use a straight, firm edge, like a ruler or the edge of a pan, to press gently against the edge of the dough where the papers come together to create a solid, firm round log. Repeat with remaining dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (To keep logs round store inside an empty paper towel roll.)
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds with a sharp, thin knife. Divide rounds onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
• Bake until cookies smell fragrant with a full cocoa aroma and set on the outside, about 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pans, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely. Serve.
• Busy baker's tips: Dough can be made and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Baked cookies can be wrapped in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil and frozen for up to 2 weeks.
• Cook's note: For super uniform cookies, place each sliced disk of dough in a muffin tin and bake. The cookies will be chewier, less sandy this way.
• Copyright 2007 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved

BLACK-AND-WHITE SABLES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, cocoa, and baking soda. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter with sugars on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add salt and vanilla; beat to combine. Add flour mixture; beat on low until just combined. Fold in chocolate. Divide dough in half; shape into two 1 1/2-by-7-inch logs. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove logs from refrigerator; let stand until sliceable, about 15 minutes. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. (If slices crack, simply press them back together.) Roll edges in granulated sugar; transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets.
• Bake, rotating once, until just set around edges and dry to the touch, 14 to 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.

COCOA SABLES

Steps:

• Mix flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
• Beat softened butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until the mixture looks like overwhipped whipped cream. Add egg yolk and vanilla extract; mix well. Add dry ingredients. Use a spatula to mix them in until evenly moistened.
• Divide the dough into thirds or quarters and knead a little bit on a large sheet of waxed paper. Gather into a ball, then shape into a 1 1/2-inch cylinder or square tube. Wrap up with the waxed paper, pushing in the sides so that the tube is evenly thick from left to right. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice dough into 1/4-inch thick cookies with a sharp knife. Arrange on the baking sheets, spacing them 1/2 inch apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven until firm, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely before eating.