Sablés aux Framboises

These delicate tartlets are a variation on a popular Swiss cookie Mailaenderli.  This is based on a dessert I enjoyed at the Hotel des Trois Couronnes in Vevey, Canton Vaud.

Cookie Dough

2 sticks (1 cup) soft unsalted butter

1 cup unsifted confectioners’ sugar

2 large egg yolks

2/3 cup finely ground blanched almonds

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 

Finishing

1 cup seedless raspberry jam

Confectioners’ sugar

Fresh raspberries

 Mint leaves to decorate

2 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans lined with parchment

1.   For the cookie dough, in a mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer set at medium speed until soft and light.  Beat in sugar and continue beating until sugar is completely incorporated.  Beat in yolks, one at a time, beating smooth between each addition, scraping bowl and beaters occasionally.  Beat in ground almonds.  Sift flour over butter and egg mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula, making sure flour is completely absorbed.  Stretch a piece of plastic wrap on a plate or cookie sheet and scrape dough onto wrap.  Cover with another piece of plastic wrap and press dough into a 10-inch square, about 1/2-inch thick.  Chill dough until firm, about 2 hours. 

2.   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Divide dough in quarters and remove one quarter at a time from refrigerator to roll.

3.   Place dough on a lightly floured work surface and lightly flour dough.  Pound dough gently with rolling pin to soften it and roll dough to an 8-inch square about 3 1/6-inch thick.  Cut dough into rounds with a plain 3-inch cutter.  Arrange rounds on pans, about 1 inch apart, as they are cut.  Repeat with remaining pieces of dough, refrigerating scraps between each rolling.  After all the dough has been rolled and cut, press scraps together and re-roll them to make more cookie bases.

4.   Place pans of cookies in oven and immediately lower temperature to 325 degrees.  Bake the cookies about 20 minutes, until they are pale golden and firm.  Cool on pans on racks.

5.   Arrange bases, upside down, on a clean pan.  Bring jam to a simmer in a small saucepan over low heat and allow jam to reduce for a minute or two, until slightly thickened.  Gently spoon about a teaspoon of jam on each un-pierced base, spreading it to within 1/8 inch of the edge.  Top with several raspberries and a mint sprig.  Dust with confectioners’ sugar right before serving.