Chocolate Sables

For me this is the perfect cookie.  It’s crisp but not crunchy.  Deep chocolate in flavor, but not bitter.  Freezes well, and can be made and stored for at least a week.  Another name for these could be Grown-Up Valentine’s Day cookies.  Grown-up because they are just barely sweet with an intense cocoa flavor.  Sorry kids, these are too good for you.  Since my husband doesn’t care for chocolate, I’m not sure who I made these for….ahem.   Recipe slightly adapted from Smitten Kitchen.

• 1 C. flour
• 1/3 C. Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/4 t. baking soda
• 1/2 C. salted butter, room temperature
• 2/3 C. sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 t. vanilla
• 3 1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• Turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.  Cream the butter, sugar, and salt until fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture a little at a time until just combined.  Add the chocolate and mix just a bit.  The dough will be very crumbly. Test it with a little pinch.  If it holds together when you pinch it, you’re done.  If it’s too powdery add a teaspoon of water.  Try not to over mix.  Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for about 30 minutes.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Roll half of the dough out on a floured board until quite thin – about 1/8 inch.   This is not the easiest dough in the world to roll, it’s crumbly and will fall apart, so just roll enough to cut two or three cookies at a time.  Use a flexible spatula to transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet.  Sprinkle with a bit of the Turbinado sugar.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Let them cool for one minute before transferring to a wire rack to cool.  Once cool these can be frozen in plastic bags.  Makes about 40 cookies.