The type of butter that you use in baking can really make a difference. Over on the Craftsy blog (it’s free!!), I’m sharing the recipe for Classic French Sables. These cookies appear to be simple butter cookies at first glance, but they have a unique flavor and a wonderfully melt-in-your-mouth texture that will prove that they aren’t just any shortbread cookies at first bite. The secret to these cookies is the butter that is used to make them. They’re made with high-fat (aka European style) cultured butter – and while it is traditional to use French butter for them, there are other brands out there that will also work just as well. The butter is the key to imparting a uniquely buttery flavor that verges on savory to the cookies, while it also is essential for producing their meltingly tender texture. You can find the butter at most grocery stores, but I generally find that Trader Joe’s is the least expensive place to find it in my area.
The cookies can be prepared like a slice-and-bake cookie or rolled out and cut with cookie cutters. The dough can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days after making it, which means that you can bake them in batches and enjoy fresh cookies day after day. That said, they keep extremely well when stored in an airtight container, so a full sized batch should last at least 4-5 days, too.
What do you think?