GeorgieCakes

Pesto Orange Sables #baketogether

10 Mar 2012 9 Comments

by georgiecakes in #baketogether, Appetizers, Bake, Cookie Tags: basil, Cookie, cookies, orange juice, orange zest, sables. pesto

What would the world be like without cookies? I don’t even want to think about it! I love all cookies… soft, chewy, crunchy, sweet and savory. Imagine adding your favorite herb to a cookie.  In this months #baketogether Abby Dodge inspired us to add our favorite flavors to the buttery, flakey biscuit “Sables”.  Like all the recipes in her book, these cookies are easy to make and super delicious.

For those of you who would like to know more about our monthly #baketogether, you can get all the details from our head baker herself, Abby Dodge.  Check out Abby’s site to learn more about the community, recipes and tips for each months baking assignment.

What I like the most about #baketogether is that it’s a creative, fun and made up of a talented group of food bloggers.  Here we gather, engage and share with one another our culinary adventures. I’ve learned so much and I’m grateful for the friendship and support.

The Cookies…

When I attended NYC Cookie Swap fundraiser last year, I made a sweet & savory pesto cookie, the recipe adapted form Grown Up Cookies.  I remembered how good they we’re – more of a sweet cookie then savory.  So for this months #baketogether assignment I was inspired to combine Abby’s sable recipe and the flavors I used in my pesto cookie making a “Pesto Orange Sable Cookie”.   The results… let’s just say… I have me a new cookie crush!

Here’s what you’ll need: Makes 30 Cookies

Pesto Orange Sables

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped fine

1 tablespoon orange zest

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 7 slices, well chilled

1 tablespoon orange juice

2 & 1/2 teaspoons very cold water

To make the dough: ( I followed Abby’s recipe word for word. It’s my first try at the “fraisage” technique and I didn’t want anything getting lost in the translation).

Put the flour, pesto, orange zest, salt and basil (reserve some basil to sprinkle on top of cookies), in a food processor and pulse briefly to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the butter pieces are slightly larger than pea size, about 10 to 12 pulses depending on your machine. Drizzle the orange juice and water evenly over the flour mixture. Pulse until the dough begins to form moist crumbs that are just beginning to clump together, about 8 or 9 more pulses depending on your machine.

Dump the moist crumbs onto the unfloured counter and gather into a pile. With the heel of your hand, push and gently smear the crumbs away from you until they start to come together in a cohesive dough. Two or three ‘smears’ should do the trick. Using a bench scraper, gather the dough together and turn it about 45 degrees and give it one or two more smears.  Gather the dough together and shape the dough into a 7 1/4-inch long and 2 1/4 -inch wide rectangle using the bench scraper to make the sides nice and straight. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours, or up to 2 days.

Position oven rack to the center and set oven to 375. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a thin, sharp knife, cut the log into 1/4-inch slices and arrange about 1 inch apart (they don’t spread much at all) on the prepared sheets, sprinkle will reserved basil. Bake until nutty brown around the edges, 16 to 18 minutes. Serve slightly warm or room temperature.

Whatever kind of fete you have in mind, be sure to indulge your guests with these savory scrumptious cookies.  Guaranteed to have everyone singing your praises all night long.