Pecan Sables

This recipe is among those that reach a new level when made with sea salt and high-quality, European-style butter (like Plugra). From Gourmet, November 2002.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Yields: 32 cookies

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup pecans, toasted and cooled,plus about (3oz)
• 32  pecan halves (3 oz)
• 2⁄3 cup confectioners' sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1 1⁄4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, softened (Plugra, or European butter should be used)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1  large egg, separated

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Pulse toasted pecans with 2 tablespoons confectioners sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
3. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a bowl.
4. Beat together butter, remaining 2/3 cup confectioners sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Add egg yolk and beat well.
6. Add flour and ground-pecan mixture and mix at low speed until just combined, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
7. (Dough will be crumbly but will hold together when squeezed.) Halve dough and roll out 1 half between 2 sheets of wax paper until 1/4 inch thick (about a 9-inch round).
8. Cut out as many rounds as possible with cookie cutter and arrange about 2 inches apart on buttered large baking sheets, reserving scraps.
9. Roll out and cut remaining dough in same manner.
10. Gather scraps, then reroll and cut in same manner.
11. Beat egg white until frothy, then brush tops of rounds lightly with egg white.
12. Put a pecan half on top of each round, then brush pecan lightly with egg white.
13. Bake cookies in middle of oven until tops are pale golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
14. Cool cookies on sheets on racks 2 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.