A NATIVE of Fort Wayne who grew up enjoying her mother’s perfect pies and hand-rolled noodles, Alison Keefer has grown her Gallery Pastry Shop from a wholesale bakery to a dessert-themed restaurant group with four locations. But simplicity has always been the hallmark of Keefer’s approach, no better exemplified than in these crisp, buttery cookies. Because the ingredient list is short, be sure to go for quality butter. And watch that the cookies don’t brown too much around the edges. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate the pans halfway through baking. Baking times will vary depending on the thickness and shape of the cookies. While these are excellent with coffee or tea, they’re stunning when iced or layered with fruit or pastry cream for a knockout dessert.
Gallery Pastry Shop’s Sablé Cookies
Makes approximately 24 small cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup fine almond flour
- 1-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 extra-large egg or two medium eggs
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Into a medium bowl sift flours and salt. Set aside.
- Add butter and confectioner’s sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on low until just incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Add egg(s) and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed about one minute. Scrape down sides of bowl. Mixture will look separated.
- Add flour and salt mixture and beat on low until fully incorporated.
- Refrigerate dough for at least two hours.
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to desired thickness. Using a sharp knife or cookie cutters dusted in flour, cut dough to desired shapes.
- Place cookies on prepared baking sheet and bake until golden but not dark around the edges, about 12–15 minutes (depending on size of cookies).
- Let cookies cool on baking sheet set over a rack for about 5 minutes. Remove cookies to rack and cool completely.
