BISCUITS SABLEE (Denis Dianin's recipe)

Good morning everyone! I come back here after a long period of time...I was so busy, with a lot of things to manage in a little time... but I'm here again!

I'm abroad for a short period and during my first Sunday afternoon here I made these delicious biscuits as gift for my nice hosts, Helen and Tony.
I was looking for a simple recipe to make without the help of electric devices. I was looking for a special recipe to be enjoyed during the English teatime!

These cookies (recipe by pastry chef Denis Dianin) are perfect: buttery and sweety, soft and crumbly. You will enjoy every bite!

BISCUITS SABLEE

here the recipe source: Dissapore

Ingredients
      320 g softened butter
      160 g icing sugar
      480 g wheat flavour
      27 g yolks (about n. 2 yolks)
      1 g salt
      vanilla or lemon zest
      n.2 egg whites
      50 g granulated sugar
Procedure
- In this recipe the rub in method is used *
- Cut softened butter in small pieces and add them into the flour mixture
- Add the sugar and salt
- Work with the fingers up to create a sand-like texture
- Add the yolks and work the dough just until all of it is incorporated; it is very important to do not overwork: when all the ingredients are combined, it's ready
- Divide in two / three portions and set on sheets of parchment or clingfilm
- Compact to form cylinders (diameter equal to the dimension of the biscuits that we desire to get, 3-4 cm) and wrap in paper
- Set in the fridge for at least an hour (it is better few hours or a whole night)
- Take the cylinders out of the refrigerator, brush with beaten egg white, roll in the granulated sugar
- Cut in thick slices 4/5 mm and place them on the baking-pan covered with parchment
- If you want to maintain the round form, outdistance them of around half centimeter. I have put them too close and during the cooking they expanded and became hexagonal!
- Bake at 170°C for about 15 minutes, or up to when the cookies are of golden colour
- Leave them to completely cool (better out of the oven, otherwise the cooking continues) before moving them from the baking-pan since they are very friable
- Store in a well closed container to maintain their friability
Footnote
* It is a method of cake making whereby fat is rubbed and distributed into a flour mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. The fats should be rubbed quickly into the flour to prevent it from melting. Liquid is then added into the flour mixture and mixed to form a soft dough. This method allows the dough to be shorten: both fat and sugar minimize and break down gluten development which results in "short" protein strands and thus a more tender result. As the fat is rubbed into the flour glutenin (providing strength) and gliadin (providing elasticity) are coated with the fat which acts as a lubricant o keep the two from being able to link together forming gluten when liquid is added to the mix. The higher the amount of fat in a dough the more tender it will be.

(ricetta in italiano)
Ingredienti
      320 g burro morbido
      160 g zucchero a velo
      480 g farina
      27 g tuorli (n.2)
      1 g sale
      vaniglia o scroza di limone
      n.2 albumi
      50 g zucchero semolato
Procedimento
- Lavorare con le dita burro morbido e farina fino a formare un composto sabbioso
- Aggiungere lo zucchero ed il sale
- Inserire i tuorli e lavorare brevemente in modo da legare la massa
- Dividere in due/tre porzioni e posare su carta forno o pellicola
- Compattare in modo da formare dei cilindri (diametro pari alla dimensione dei biscotti che desideriamo ottenere, io circa 3-4 cm) e avvolgere bene nella carta
- Lasciare in frigo alcune ore o una notte intera
- Tirare fuori dal frigo, spennellare i cilindri di albume, rotolare nello zucchero semolato in modo da coprire la superficie esterna
- Tagliare a fette spesse 4/5 mm e posare sulla teglia del forno rivestita di carta
- Se volete che mantengano la forma rotonda, tenerli distanziati di circa mezzo centimetro. Io li ho messi vicini e allargandosi in cottura sono diventati esagonali!
- Cuocere a 170°C per circa 15 minuti, o comunque fino a doratura della pasta
- Far completamente raffreddare (meglio fuori dal forno, sennò la cottura prosegue) prima di muoverli dalla placca poichè sono molto friabili
- Conservare ben chiusi in modo da mantenerne la friabilità

Con questa ricetta partecipo a "Dolci dipendenze - il contest di cucina che ti passa"

I can only say ... ENJOY!!!

Eleonora