These are great for taking a break from all of the sweets this time of year!
Savory SablésThese are delicious on their own or would make a great addition to a cheese board.
1/2 cup butter, chilled and cubed
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Pinch of cayenne pepper (or to taste)
Pinch of salt (not too much, the cheese is salty)
4 ounces or 1 cup of shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese
4 ounces or 1 cup of shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese*
Flaky sea salt, optional**
Place all of the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor and blend until a clumpy dough is formed, being careful not to over blend or overwork the dough. Over worked dough can result in a tough sablé.
Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide in half. Form each half into 10-inch logs about 1-1/4 inch in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate a minimum of 3 hours to overnight.
To bake, preheat oven to 350ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment or silicone baking mat. Remove the dough logs from the refrigerator, remove plastic wrap, and slice logs into 1/4 inch slices. Place onto prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and continue baking another 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Makes 4 1/2-5 dozen sablés.
*All of one or the other cheeses can be used, it is just a color preference.
**As mentioned above, the cheese is salty. So if using the flaky salt, use it sparingly.
Enjoy!