Orange~Chocolate Pistachio Sable'

Sable's is a French cookie that originated in Sable'-sur-Sarthe in 1670.  The word sable' means "sand" and it takes the place of the English word "breadcrumbs" in the context of baking.  Simply, the butter is rubbed into the sugar and flour to form particles of dough resembling breadcrumbs or sand! Today, I used my stand mixer and made these tender cookies.

I've always been impressed by these tender cookies in the bakeries and when I recently flew through Paris (on my way to Birmingham, England), I was in awe once more of the cases of beautiful cookies.  Since this week has definitely become Cookie Week, I decided to show you how easy these cookies are to make.  I've paired two of my favorite flavors, chocolate and orange and added roasted pistachios, but you can substitute for your taste.

Orange~Chocolate Pistachio Sable'

Orange Dough:
3/4 cup (170g) (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
Zest of one large orange
1 cup (120g) confectioners' (icing) sugar
1 large egg
1 T orange juice, fresh is the best
1 1/2 cups (188g) King Arthur all-purpose flour (plain flour)
1 1/4 cups (120g) Almond Flour
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 cup (113g) chopped roasted salted pistachios

In a bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, beat butter, confectioners' sugar and zest until fluffy--3 to 4 minutes.  Add the egg and juice and mix to combine; don't worry if the mixture  oks "curdled"--adding the dry ingredients will bring the dough together.  Gradually add the flours and salt, then the pistachios, beating just until they're combined.

Prepare an 8-inch square baking pan lined with plastic wrap and press the orange dough into it.

Place into the refrigerator to chill while you make up the chocolate dough.  No need to wash the mixing bowl!

Chocolate Dough:
1 cup (227g) (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (120g) confectioners' (icing) sugar
1 T orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (188g) King Arthur all-purpose flour (plain flour)
1/2 cup (43g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 cup chopped roasted salted pistachios

1 cup (200g) Turbinado sugar for dipping the ends in before baking

Mix the chocolate dough as above for the orange dough.  Take out the pan with the orange dough from the refrigerator and press the chocolate dough on top.

Wrap the plastic wrap over the surface and place back into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, until firm.

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees (178C-degrees).  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove from refrigerator and use the plastic wrap to "lift" the dough from the pan.  Place on a cutting board and using a serrated knife, divide dough into four logs.  Slice the logs into 1/4-inch slices.

Dip the ends into the Turbinado sugar.

Place on the baking sheet, spacing them at least 1/2-inch apart--I did a little more.

Bake in the preheated oven 10 to 12 minutes or until firm and just beginning to brown at the edges.  Let cool completely on a rack.  Enjoy!

Orange Brown~Sugar Glazed Cake with Strawberries & Whipped Cream

Keeping up your Vitamin C during these cold months is a great idea; something I learned from my mother who couldn't stress this enough to keep all of us healthy.  I eat an orange every day, for the Potassium, of course, but also it just makes me feel good.  For Sunday dessert, I couldn't help but make this cake that appeared in the latest issue of Fine Cooking.  Adding strawberries (another Potassium-rich fruit) makes me feel like Spring is around the corner.  After all, amidst the ice and snow last weekend, I still have daffodils popping up in my garden.

Luckily, Spring does come early in the South, but with this dessert, you can think it's around the corner too!

Orange Brown~Sugar Glazed Cake with Strawberries & Whipped Cream
8 oz. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
Zest of two oranges and 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached Queen Guinevere Cake Flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup fresh orange juice (from zested oranges)
1/2 cup milk

Glaze:
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 T orange marmalade

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Brush a 9-inch Springform pan with melted butter and line the bottom with parchment paper, brush the paper with the butter again.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Scrape the sides with a rubber spatula and beat once more.  Add the zests of the oranges and lemon and the vanilla extract; mix on medium to combine.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the orange juice/milk.  Once the dry ingredients are well combined, mix on medium for one minute more.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven 40 to 45 minutes.  (A Toothpick inserted in the center of cake may have a few crumbs clinging to it.) Check the cake during the last 10 minutes of baking; if it's browning too much, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.  Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Use a knife around the edges to loosen it and remove the sides of the pan.

Glaze the Cake:
Poke holes all over the cake with a toothpick in 3/4-inch intervals.  Combine the juice, sugar and marmalade in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer, lower the heat and whisk often until syrupy, about 10 minutes.  Brush the glaze onto the cake, allowing some to drip down the sides.

Slice strawberries while the cake is in the oven and sprinkle with granulated sugar.  This will help macerate the strawberries and provide some juice.  To serve, whipped some heavy cream (about 1 cup) and 3 T confectioners' sugar together.  Slice a wedge of cake and spoon some strawberries on it. Add a dollop of whipped cream and watch the eyes of your family light up!  Mine did...Enjoy!

And remember...

Orange-Orange glazed Genoise with Fresh Strawberries

One of the first cakes I made in cooking school was a Genoise--an Italian sponge cake named after the city of Genoa.  It's a very popular choice for wedding cakes when it's usually is soaked in flavored syrups or spread with fruit fillings before the buttercream is applied.

I thought this simple cake would be perfect with the beautiful strawberries I bought at the market as dessert.  See, we've had a day of rainy grey skies and a bit of Spring, even if it's in my baking would help me feel better.  I'm going on two weeks with this cold and the "dose" of citrus in this cake is just what my mother would have ordered!

There are different recipes for Genoise; some separate the eggs to add lightness and are the only fat, others add melted butter.  The key is that it's an easy cake to make and a wonderful base for fresh fruit or a special occasion...like a wedding.

Orange Genoise with Fresh Strawberries
4 oz. unsalted butter, melted and cooled (included is the amount you will use for buttering the pan)
2 large eggs
grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup granulated sugar (I use Baker's Sugar which is much finer, like Castor)
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder

Preheat oven to 325F-degrees.  Brush melted butter on an 8-inch x 2-inch high baking pan.  Line with a parchment round in the bottom and brush with more melted butter.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, using a hand held mixer or in a stand mixer, using the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, grated orange zest and both sugars until thick and lemony in color--about 5 minutes.  

Fold in the cooled melted butter and stir completely.
Sift the flour and baking powder over the batter and fold in.  

Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes.  The top will have a crust (like brownies do) so you shouldn't press down to test for doneness, but rather use a skewer--that should come out clean.

Cool 5 minutes than remove from pan onto serving platter.  Remove parchment round.  Let cool
completely before drizzling the orange glaze over the top.
Orange Glaze:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 to 3 T fresh orange juice (or enough to make a drizzle)
Drizzle glaze over cake.

   

A dreary evening to a rainy day, but somehow it seems a little brighter knowing I'll have a taste of sunshine for dessert.  Enjoy!