Sable’ pastry for cookies and tarts, born in France a few centuries ago, differs from shortcrust pastry in three ways: the first is the higher amount of butter, the second is the use of powdered sugar instead of granulated sugar, and only egg yolks instead of whole eggs.
With sable’ pastry, you can make cookies and tarts that are extraordinarily crumbly, almost melting in your mouth. Try it to make Linzer cookies or a strawberry tart with cream. With the quantities indicated in this recipe, you’ll get 25 delicious cookies or 1 crumbly and tasty tart.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 25 cookies – 1 tart
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 3/4 cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 pinches fine salt
- as needed vanillin (or grated lemon zest)
Steps
Sift the flour, potato starch, powdered sugar, and salt in a bowl.
Add the cold butter in pieces and knead with your hands in the bowl. The initial dough is crumbly and sandy.
Add the vanillin or a grating of lemon zest and the 3 egg yolks.
Continue kneading briefly, just long enough to incorporate the ingredients. It should not form a gluten mesh.
Shape the dough into a block, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using the sable’ pastry to make cookies or tarts.
