Vanilla–Brown Butter
Sablé Cookies
ACTIVE 45 MIN; TOTAL 6 HR 40 MIN, PLUS
8 HR CHILLING TIME; MAKES 2 DOZENThese sandy, vanilla-scented cookies are
lightly sweet with a salty crunch from sel
gris. Be sure to soften the brown butter to
room temperature; the spreadable texture
will help create a creamy dough. Make the
dough ahead and freeze it; the cookies are
best when baked fresh.(^21) / (^2) cups unsalted butter (20 oz.)
11 / 2 cups granulated sugar, divided
3 / 4 cup unsifted powdered sugar (3 oz.)
5 large egg yolks
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (such as
Heilala)
41 / 4 cups all-purpose flour (18^1 / 8 oz.),
sifted
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 large egg white, beaten
3 / 4 tsp. sel gris or other crunchy sea
salt, divided
- Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl; set
aside. Melt butter in a medium-size deep
saucepan over medium, swirling often,
until butter bubbles and develops a heavy
foam, foam subsides, and butter turns a
deep golden color, about 14 minutes.
Remove from heat; pour brown butter
into a heatproof bowl, scraping milk solids
from bottom of saucepan into bowl. Place
bowl in prepared ice bath; let cool, stirring
occasionally, 10 minutes. Remove bowl
from ice bath; let stand at room tempera-
ture 2 hours. Cover and chill overnight or
up to 3 days.- Remove brown butter from fridge; let
stand at room temperature 1 to 2 hours to
soften. Transfer butter to bowl of a heavy-
duty electric stand mixer fitted with pad-
dle attachment. Add 1 cup granulated
sugar and powdered sugar. Beat on
medium-low speed until smooth and
creamy but not yet light and fluffy, about
2 minutes. (Do not overbeat.) Add egg
yolks, 1 at a time, beating after each addi-
tion, stopping to scrape down sides of
bowl as needed. Add vanilla, and beat
until just combined, about 5 seconds.
Reduce speed to low; gradually add flour
and kosher salt, beating until just com-
bined, about 1 minute. - Form dough into a ball; transfer to a
large sheet of parchment paper. Cover
with a second sheet of parchment paper.
Using a rolling pin, gently roll dough
between parchment to^1 / 3 -inch thickness.
Transfer dough sandwiched between
parchment paper onto a baking sheet.
Chill until firm, 1 hour or overnight. - Remove top sheet of parchment paper
from chilled dough. Cut dough into 24
(3-inch) circles. (Reroll dough scraps as
needed; rechill dough if it becomes too
soft to handle.) Transfer dough rounds to
a baking sheet lined with parchment
paper; freeze until solid, about 1 hour.- Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove 12
dough rounds from freezer. Place remain-
ing^1 / 2 cup granulated sugar in a small
bowl. Brush edges of the 12 dough rounds
with half of the egg white; roll edges of
dough rounds in granulated sugar to coat.
Place dough rounds 3 inches apart on 2
baking sheets lined with parchment
paper. Sprinkle tops evenly with half of
the sel gris. Bake in preheated oven until
centers of cookies are just set and edges
are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.
Remove from oven. Cool cookies on bak-
ing sheets 2 minutes; transfer to a wire
rack to cool completely, about 30 min-
utes. Repeat procedure with remaining 12
dough rounds, remaining half of egg
white, remaining granulated sugar (dis-
card leftover granulated sugar once all 24
cookies have been rolled), and remaining
half of sel gris.
MAKE AHEAD Unbaked dough rounds may
be prepared through step 4. Freeze until
completely frozen, about 6 hours or up to
overnight. Transfer frozen rounds to a
ziplock plastic bag, and keep frozen until
ready to bake.
38
HANDBOOK
NOVEMBER 2018