If Wacky and Wonderful can be friends, together they beautifully describe this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe, Sablés aux Olives Noires. Sablés are exquisite but crumbly, classic French cookies. More a shortbread than a Toll House.
Mise en Place for this week’s FFWD recipe choice.
What is special about these sablés is they were created by Pierre Hermé, France’s acknowledged pastry king, with a few twists and turns from Dorie, of course. Think potato starch, oily black olives and the yolk of a large hard-boiled egg! What’s up with that?
I’ve learned not to doubt Dorie so when she suggested this cocktail nibble was either ‘a sweet cookie with a spot of savoriness or a savory cookie with a touch of sweetness’, I put on my apron. Once the ingredients were gathered (the potato starch was a problem for some) and the egg, boiled, these little slice-and-bakes were simply made.
Pastry logs, ready for the Big Chill
Following Dorie’s directions and after making the dough, I made three pastry logs, wrapped them in plastic and chilled overnight. The next day I sliced two logs, making 1/4” cookies, and baked them for 16 minutes at 325 degrees. Brown the edges not the entire cookie. I wrapped the extra log in foil for the freezer.
Ready to bake
Friends were hosting a Welcome Home wine-and-nibbles party last night, providing me with a perfect and discriminating tasting panel for this week’s recipe choice. I wasn’t surprised to note that these delightful sablés passed muster.
Baked and Taste-Tested
My move to Aspen, I arrived last Monday, is now history. Right now I’m a bit altitude-weary, my condo is, let’s just say, disheveled and, yes, it’s snowed once or twice. However, I cannot stop smiling.
Nibbles
and Wine
To make these clever cocktail nibbles, go here. To see what my colleagues created this week with potato starch and an egg yolk, go to our French Fridays with Dorie link.
Mmmmm. Can’t wait to try these! I see a cocktail party in our future!
D-203, Elaine. As soon as you arrive back this Summer.
Yours are lovely – everyone else’s that I have seen so far look so much better than mine. Your dough is so much more moist – wonder what I did wrong? Next time I hope mine look as good as yours!
I used my friends as guinea pigs, too…and they loved these. The scents of Aspen are my strongest memories…the heavenly pines and the aroma of wood burning fires. So glad you made it home safely. xo
Well sounds like it was quite a soiree. Glad your sables were a hit. So happy that you are finally going to get settled. I have been sick all week with a horrible cold and didn’t have the energy to make sables. I have to make a bunch of cookies with my daughter for a cancer fundraiser on Sunday, so I am trying to muster my energy up for that. Hope to be back to FFD next week.
fortuitous for me to host my cocktail party when you were preparing your Sables for FFWD. They were delish and different. Last time your brought the FFWD Creme a Coeur to my dinner party. Am I lucky or what and meanwhile you are now on everyone’s dance card since you are back in Aspen and cooking something you have to share EVERY WEEK! I am a FFWD groupie and am proud of it.
Donna
Welcome home 🙂 Rest up & the unpacking will happen when it happens. (Says the girl who is still unpacking 6 1/2 years later…)
Your cookies look lovely & it sounds like they were enjoyed in even lovelier company.
I’m smiling for you!
Your cookies turned out fantastic looking!
They came out perfect Mary! Though I think they have more than `a touch of sweetness´ like Dorie says. I simply loved them, and am not suprised your friends did too. Welcome to Aspen my friend!
So glad you’re home!! Your cookies look lovely…nice that you got to share them with friends! I froze mine so I wouldn’t eat all of them!! I plan on bringing them to my daughters next weekend…I think they will love them.
Have a great weekend, Mary!
Glad to know you arrived safely. These are perfect for a cocktail party, especially one in your own honor. Weird and wonderful, indeed!
I’m so glad that you are happy in your condo! With wonderful friends around you how could you be anything else? I’m sure you are missed in Vegas though. Your sablés look delicious. We loved them too! I have some in the freezer that will be brought out for friends tonight! Happy weekend and welcome home Mary!
Mary, it must be a relief to finally have the move to Aspen behind you and what a perfect opportunity to serve these wonderful black olive sablés at your Wellcome Home wine-and-nibbles party – do get some rest (if possible). Your sablés look fabulous – great color – and I am glad that you and your friends seem to have enjoyed them as much as we did!
Take care and enjoy your weekend – the girls are saying “Hello”!
Goodness, these sables were addictive. I’m not sure if I can be happy if I don’t have some waiting in the freezer to be baked. I imagine they were an interesting addition to an appetizer plate! Good to hear that the move went well!
I’m glad your move is done and hope you get settled in soon. These sablés are a perfect party nibble.
They look perfect, Mary. You are so lucky, as are your friends, that you have such a great taste panel. I am sure they look forward to seeing what you bring to parties and gatherings. I’m glad your move went well and hope you get settled in again soon.
These really were wacky but wonderful!
I’ve stared at this recipe over and over but have never actually made it, now you’ve got me really psyched to give them a whirl! Glad you’re all moved and happy!