Sables De Noel

I recently purchase Jacquy Pfeiffer book The Art of French Pastry. Jacquy began with an apprenticeship in Strasboug, Alsace at the famous Jean Clauss Patisserie. I have attached a link of some of their work.

http://www.bing.com/images/searchq=jean+clauss+patisserie&qpvt=jean+clauss+patisserie&FORM=IGRE.

He is one of the top ten pastry chefs in America. An now teaches  at the French Pastry School.



But, he can remember a time when the Sables De Noel were tied up with a ribbon to the family Christmas tree for decoration. The tree was actually lite by small candles that were held to branches with a clip base. On Christmas eve, their family would light the candles, taking care not to set the house on fire.

His mother during the war had nine brothers and sisters. She talks about the piece of heaven in those cookies, a mandarin orange and a piece of chocolate. I hope this recipe will create some of those same memories. It is such a simple recipe for children. Make up the dough ahead of time. It can be place in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days.

2 1/3 cups of flour (1/2 AP & 1/2 cake flour)
1 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
7 ounces of butter
2 teaspoons of vanilla
3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons of sugar
3/8 teaspoon of sea salt
1 extra large egg beaten and then (4 teaspoons of the mixture removed as egg wash)

You must swift the flour, almond flour, salt and cinnamon. Now in a mixer beat the butter, vanilla and sugar together. Add the egg and mix. Now add in the flour mixture. Just mix until it becomes a dough. Now divide the dough in half and roll out into 1/2 inch thick circles.

When you are ready to make the cookies preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Roll out the dough to 3/16 of a inch. Cut out the cookies into assorted cookie cutter shapes. Brush the tops of the cookies with the egg wash. You now must let the cookies rest for 10 minutes. Then you will apply a second coat of egg wash. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Watch your oven temperature. Side with a lower temperature if they are cooking to fast. The low oven temperature will allow all the water to evaporate and the cookies will be very flaky. The cookies last for about one month. Jean suggest you use a chop stick to make a whole to hang on the tree.