Who hasn't succumbed to a taste of Breton sablés? Until very recently, I had never made them myself. But one day when I was looking for a quick snack with few ingredients, this recipe imposed itself by its simplicity. Since then, it's my secret trick that I pull out whenever I need an easy and fast snack!
Origin of Breton Sablés
Breton sablés were originally prepared by Breton housewives for their energy and long-lasting qualities. This makes them the ideal biscuit for war periods and long sea trips. It was in the 20th century that the pastry Traou Mad exclusively devoted itself to this biscuit, making it a recognized symbol of Brittany worldwide! Local producers are actually discussing obtaining the Protected Geographical Indication label.
True Recipe of Breton Sablé
The Breton sablé, also called palet breton, is of course a recipe prepared with salted butter. Forget recipes that add salt independently. For the rest of the ingredients, use good flour and free-range eggs (if you can) and you will have everything needed to make the true recipe of the Breton sablé!
Which Flour for a Good Breton Sablé?
To make traditional Breton sablés, you can use either T45 or T55 flour interchangeably. It is also possible to add 50% of rye flour to give a more authentic taste. For a gluten-free version, you can use rice flour.
How to Make a Breton Sablé?
As I mentioned in the introduction, making a Breton sablé is quite easy and quick. First, sift the flour with the yeast. Then, whip the egg yolks with the sugar. When it has tripled in volume, add the flour and yeast. Once the mixture is homogeneous, it's time to add the salted butter pâté (at room temperature, not melted). Mix again until all ingredients are well combined. No technical difficulty, the success of the recipe mainly lies in the cooling time.
Make Thick Breton Sablés?
Once the dough is ready, it needs to cool down so that you can cut it. For this, make a sausage of dough in plastic wrap. After about an hour in the fridge, the dough is ready to be cut into 0.5 cm thick rounds (thicker if you want them really thick). And to keep their perfect round shape, I recommend baking them in individual round molds. This is the secret to getting thick and well-rounded Breton sablés.
