Sable Cookies

Sable is a type of shortbread cookie from Europe. They are both dry and silky, crumbly and firm. I mostly adopted this delicious recipe from Pierre Herme's book "PASTRIES". This is the BEST shortbread cookie that I have even had! I add raisins and you may substitute with dry cranberries, nuts, etc.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 cup raisins

Easy to make:

1. Cream the butter and sugar with a flat beater in a stand mixer. Then add vanilla, salt and flour, beat until smooth. Fold in raisins.
2. Shape the smooth dough into a ball and divide into 3 equal pieces. Roll each into a 1-inch cylinder like a rolling pin. Wrap with plastic sarong wrap, refrigerator for 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Sprinkle the coarse granulated sugar evenly on a sheet of wax paper, roll each cylinder in the sugar. Slice the cylinders into 5/8-inch-thick rounds. Arrange the cookies on the lined baking sheets about 3/4-inch apart.
5. Bake for 15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and allow cookies to cool completely before storing in the airtight containers.