What are French Sablé cookies?

If you’ve been following my recipes on this blog for a while, you’re probably no stranger to “Sablés”. These delicate, crumbly shortbread cookies are staples in France and an absolute favorite of mine!

The word “sablé” translates to “sandy” in French, which aptly describes the texture of these cookies due to their high butter content. Sablé cookies are typically made with just a few simple ingredients: flour, butter (lots!), sugar, and sometimes eggs or simply egg yolks. Their most famous variations include the Salted Butter Sablés from Brittany, but you’ll find them made with countless flavor twists throughout various French regions.

Just like shortbreads in America, sable cookies are staples in a French kitchen. Most people almost always have a box or two of sablés in their pantry to serve in case of surprise guests at coffee time. They are beloved for their rich buttery flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture, making them a popular treat for tea or coffee time in France and beyond.

Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies

This lemon poppy seed variation is quite popular, and lovely for any season, I think. I love the freshness from the lemon and the earthiness from the poppy seeds – combined with the buttery notes I always yearn for in a sablé cookie.

After making this recipe countless times, I can also tell you that these cookies taste even better after a day or two spent in an airtight container. Time allows the flavors to meld and the sandy texture to develop as well.

Ingredients for these lemon poppy seed sable cookies

This sablé cookie recipe is relatively easy and requires staple pantry ingredients, along with lemon and poppy seeds. To shape the sablé cookies, you need a rolling pin and a cookie cutter (choose the shape you prefer!). Here is a detailed look of the ingredients you need. 

1. Flour. All-purpose flour is the way to go to create the proper “sandy” texture. Any other type of flour (whole wheat, gluten-free) will alter the texture.
2. Sugar. I prefer to use plain old white sugar for making sablé cookies.
3. A pinch of salt. To enhance all the flavors.
4. Poppy seeds. A healthy dose of poppy seeds yields delicious flavor and texture to these sablés.
5. Butter. Make you sure you use unsalted butter that is very cold. I like to cube the butter and pop it back into the fridge for about 30 minutes before using it, to ensure it is properly cold.
6. Lemon. You will need the zest from one whole lemon and 1 tablespoon (15ml) of fresh lemon juice. Because we are using the zest, I recommend using an organic lemon.
7. Egg. You’ll need one egg for the dough to come together. Make sure the egg is at room temperature so it integrates nicely into the other ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to store these Lemon Poppy Seed Sablés

• Once completely cooled, you can store the sablés in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. I think they tend to get better and better every day that passes, as their flavors blend and develop.
• These sablés also freeze very well. Place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Audrey’s tips:

• A good quality butter will go a long way when making sablé cookies, since the buttery taste is so prevalent. Ideally opt for a European butter with a higher fat content.
• Do not overmix the dough, stop when the ingredients are just combined. The less you mix the dough, the more delicate in texture the sablés will be. On the opposite end, the more you mix, the tougher the sablés will be. 
• I used a round scalloped cooking cutter here, but any shape works.

I hope you’ll love this Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé cookie recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please leave a comment. 

More French cookie recipes to try: 

• Buckweat Sablé cookies with Chocolate
• Thin Spiced Almond Cookies (Pains d’Amandes)
• Cocoa and Almond Thumbprint Cookies (Linzele)
• Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt 
• Breton Salted Butter Sables
• Chocolate chip cookies with fleur de sel 
• Butter Sables from Alsace (Butterbredele)

Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies

Print Recipe

Serves: 16 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 12 Minutes 12 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
½ cup (100g) sugar
½ tsp salt
3 tbsp (26g) poppy seeds
1/2 cup (1 stick/113g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
The zest from 1 lemon
1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
1 large egg, at room temperature

Instructions

Step 1 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and poppy seeds. Add the cubed butter, lemon zest and juice, and mix the ingredients together using your hands (rub between your palms) until you get a crumbly, sandy texture and pea-size bits of butter are still visible.

Step 2 - Add the egg and combine until the dough comes together into a ball. Wrap in plastic film and chill for 30 minutes.

Step 3 - After the 30 minutes, unwrap the dough and place it onto a lightly floured surface.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C).

Step 4 - Roll the dough until it is ½-inch thick (1.27cm) and cut out circles with a cookie cutter. 

Step 5 - Transfer the sablés onto the paper-lined baking sheets, at least 1½ inches (3.8 cm) apart. If the dough is a little sticky, you may need a spatula to delicately unpeel the sablés from the working surface.  With a fork, poke little holes in each cookie. 

Bake for 12 minutes, until the edges of the sablé cookies turn lightly golden. Take out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer the sablés to a cooling rack.

Remember, these get better by the day!

The post Lemon Poppy Seed Sablé Cookies appeared first on Pardon Your French.

What is a Tarte Soleil?

A Tarte Soleil, which literally translates to “Sun Tart” in English, is a savory puff pastry appetizer that is typically made in the shape of a sun. It’s often served as a decorative and delicious centerpiece at parties, gatherings, or special occasions like Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

The basic structure of a Tarte Soleil involves a sheet of puff pastry, covered with a filling and then roofed with a second sheet of puff pastry. Then comes the fun part… The filling can vary and be customized to you liking! It often includes ingredients like cheese, herbs, spices, sometimes the addition of spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto – or smoked salmon!

The two layers of pastry are then cut into a sun-like shape with radiating rays, which are twisted to create the appearance of a sun. I know this may sound a bit complex to do, but I assure you it is not! The pastry is then baked until golden brown.

Tarte Soleil is a always an impressive appetizer or snack to bring to the table. I love how it’s visually striking and always a conversation starter. Guests get to tear off each piece (the sun rays) which makes it interactive and fun.

This is one of my favorite recipes to make especially over the Holidays when hosting people. I am really excited to share this recipe with you today!

Ingredients you’ll need for this Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil

A Tarte Soleil is a versatile dish, including any filling of your liking – but this smoked salmon and cream cheese version has to be one of my favorites. The combination of the buttery, flaky pastry with the creamy savory filling and the rich flavor of smoked salmon is heavenly. Here are the ingredients you’ll need to create this show-stopper at home.   

1. Puff pastry. You need two 12-inch (30cm) circles of puff pastry. Homemade or store-bought work well here. In France, puff pastry sheets usually come already round – which truly makes this recipe a breeze to create at home. In the US and Canada, in my experience, puff pastry sheets usually come rectangular or square. So you’ll need to roll out the sheets to 12×12-inch squares and cut them into circles of 12-inch diameters. Read the FAQs below for more tips on store-bought puff pastry.
2. Cream cheese. Opt for a plain, full-fat cream cheese such as Philadelphia Original. And if you’re wondering if we have Philadelphia in France – yes, we do! With the rise of American baked goods in France (ie. cheesecake), cream cheese is becoming easier and easier to find these past few years.
3. Shallot. One shallot, finely diced, adds a nice bite to the cream cheese filling.
4. Chive. Because cream cheese and chive simply go hand in hand.
5. Black pepper. I like to add a crack of pepper to the cream-cheese filling. However, no added salt is needed, as smoked salmon is typically salty enough.
6. Smoked salmon. About 6 thin slices of smoked salmon are enough to cover the entirety of a pastry sheet. Note that you can use smoked trout too, which is often more affordable.
7. An egg yolk and one tablespoon of milk. Whisked together with a fork for brushing the puff pastry top.
8. Poppy seeds. Although optional, the tart is finished with a sprinkle of poppy seeds, a taste which marries well with cream cheese and smoked salmon. Sesame seeds or everything bagel seasoning would work great too here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a store-bought puff pastry crust?

Yes, absolutely. For convenience and to save time, I honestly often rely on store-bought puff pastry. 

When shopping, my best advice is to seek out an all-butter puff pastry. You can do so by simply looking at the ingredient list on the pastry package. Puff pastries made with oil and/or shortening (partially or fully) will almost always taste inferior than all-butter. The best all-butter frozen puff pastry brand I recommend is Dufour. 

Pre-made store-bought puff pastry almost always comes frozen. I recommend you take it out of your freezer the day prior to baking, and let it thaw overnight in the fridge. A slow overnight thawing will prevent cracks in the sheet when you unroll it. 

Once you are ready to make the Tarte Soleil, take the puff pastry sheets out of the fridge and act fast when rolling out the sheets and forming the twists. Puff pastry warms up quickly and can get sticky. 

Can I prepare the Tarte Soleil ahead?

Yes, you can prepare this tart ahead, up to the point when it goes in the oven to bake. Once the tart is assembled and formed, you can transfer it to the fridge for up to 6 hours.

This is a great recipe to make ahead if you’re having guests over! You can prepare the tart, store it in the fridge, and simply pop it in the oven when your guests arrive. You will then serve a freshly baked, crisp tart while not spending much time in the kitchen.

How to store this Tarte Soleil ?

Like most puff pastry baked goods, the Tarte Soleil is best enjoyed right when it comes out of the oven. Puff pastry loses its crispness after a few short hours. However, if you have any leftovers, you can still store it in the refrigerator or in the freezer.

• In the refrigerator: store the (cooled) tart in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. I don’t recommend re-heating it in the microwave, which can make the pastry soft. Instead, reheat in the oven for about 5-10 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until crisp. 
• In the freezer: store the (cooled) tart in a freezer-friendly airtight container and place it in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, let it thaw in the fridge before heating them through in the oven. 

Audrey’s tips:

• Ideally, defrost your store-bought frozen puff pastry overnight in the fridge. This slow thawing process prevents the dough from cracking.
• Puff pastry warms up quickly and can get sticky, so keep each sheet rolled in the fridge up until you need it. Act fast when rolling it out, cutting it round and transferring it into the fridge. Once filled, likewise, act fast when cutting out the “sun rays” and twisting them. If you feel the dough is getting too sticky to work with, simply pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up again.
• Make sure you use a very sharp knife or pizza cutter to form the sun rays.

I hope you’ll love this Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment. 

More French appetizer recipes: 

• Gruyere Cheese Twists (Torsades au fromage)
• French-style Deviled Eggs (Oeufs Mimosa)
• Classic French Salmon Rillettes
• French Cheese Puffs (Gougères)
• Brie en Croûte with Cranberries, Nuts and Thyme
• Roasted Red Pepper Dip from Provence (Poivronade) 
• Ham, Cheese and Olive Bread 
• Sardines and Cream Cheese Rillettes 
• Eggplant Caviar Dip

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil

Print Recipe

Serves: 8-12 Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 30 Minutes 30 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.2/5

( 11 voted )

Ingredients

2 (13-oz [370-g]) packets ready-rolled puff pastry, thawed if frozen
2/3 cup (150g) cream cheese, cold
1 shallot, peeled and diced
16 chive sprigs, finely chopped
¼ tsp freshly ground black black pepper
6 ounces (170g), smoked salmon, sliced
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp (15ml) milk
1 tbsp poppy seeds

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 1 - Prepare the filling. In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese, diced shallot, chopped chive and black pepper. Set aside in the fridge.

Step 2 - Prepare the puff pastry. Roll out the first sheet of puff pastry onto a large piece of parchment paper to a 12x12 inch (30x30cm) square. Then, cut the pastry into a 12-inch (30cm) circle. You can do so free-handedly or you can place a round object over the pastry (ie. a large plate or Dutch-oven lid) and use a sharp knife to trace the circle. Transfer the pastry round, still on the parchment paper, onto a baking sheet and set in the fridge. Repeat with the second sheet of pastry, to get two same-size dough rounds.

Step 3 – Assemble the tart. Take the first pastry circle out of the fridge. Spread the filling evenly over top, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Cover with the smoked salmon slices. Carefully place the second pastry circle on top and lightly press the border to seal.

Whisk together the milk and the egg yolk, and brush it atop the tart. Sprinkle evenly with poppy seeds.

Step 4 – Set a small glass upside down in the middle of the pastry circles (to make the sun’s “body”). Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut away from the glass in quarters. Then, cut each quarter into 4 equal strips – making 16 strands (“rays”) in total.

Step 5 – Gently twist each strand a few times to form twists. Remove the glass from the center and poke a little hole in the center (for steam to release from when baking).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until puffed and golden brown. Transfer onto a serving platter and serve immediately.

The post Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tarte Soleil appeared first on Pardon Your French.