Makes 64 cookies
INGREDIENTS
1 cup [220 g] unsalted European butter
1⁄2 cup [60 g] confectioners’ sugar
1⁄4 cup [50 g] granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved for another use
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
21⁄4 cups [315 g] all- purpose flour
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1⁄3 cup [65 g] turbinado sugar
PROCESS
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter, confectioners’ and granulated sugars, and vanilla bean seeds; beat until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat until the eggs are incorporated. Stir in the flour and salt just until combined.
Divide the dough in half and form each half into a 10-by-11⁄2-inch [25 by 4 cm] log. Wrap in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days. (The logs can also be frozen for up to 3 months.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F [180°C].
Working one at a time, unwrap the logs and brush the outsides with the egg white, reserving some for brushing each sablé. Sprinkle with the turbinado sugar until completely coated. Use a sharp knife to cut each log into 32 thin slices (about 1⁄4-inch [6 mm] thick) and transfer to a baking sheet, cut-sides down. Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg white and sprinkle with additional turbinado sugar and flaky salt. Bake until the sablés are set and lightly golden around the edges, 12 to
15 minutes. Cookies will last, stored in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.
Excerpted with permission from Chronicle Books from À Table: Recipes for Cooking and Eating the French Way by Rebekah Peppler. Text copyright © Rebekah Peppler