Bready or Not: Vanilla Sablé Cookies

Posted by on Feb 12, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, cookies, French | 0 comments

These Vanilla Sablé Cookies are a delicate French take on shortbread. They are not heavily sweet, perfect for people who like their desserts a bit gentler.

Bready or Not: Vanilla Sablé Cookies

This recipe calls for vanilla bean paste. It will imbue the dough with a deeper vanilla flavor as well as beautiful flecks of vanilla. It makes the end result prettier–which is saying a lot, as they are already pretty courtesy of a sparkling sanding sugar crust.

Bready or Not: Vanilla Sablé Cookies

Note that this dough requires chill time, as it is very soft. You don’t want it warm as it is sliced or baked!

Bready or Not: Vanilla Sablé Cookies

These Vanilla Sablé Cookies are a delicate French take on shortbread. They are not heavily sweet. Note that there are two egg yolks in the recipe; one is in the dough, the other is used to adhere the sugar coating.
Author: Beth Cato

Equipment

  • plastic wrap
  • pastry brush

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla bean paste
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar sifted
  • 2 large egg yolks separated
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sanding sugar white or other color

Instructions

  • Mix together the vanilla bean paste, white sugar, and butter until smooth and creamy, not light and fluffy. Add the salt and confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add 1 egg yolk. Mix in the flour until just combined.
  • Turn out dough onto counter to lightly knead. Divide in half and shape into long logs about 1-inch tall. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 3 hours, or freeze up to 2 months.
  • When it is baking time, preheat oven at 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Place egg yolk into a small bowl or ramekin. Add a splash of water and whisk it with the yolk. Pour sanding sugar onto a plate.
  • Brush the yolk down the length of a cookie log, fully coating it. Roll the log in the sanding sugar. Place on a cutting board and slice into pieces 1/2-inch thick. Place spaced out on cookie sheet. Repeat process with other log. Don’t squeeze the cookies too close, as they will spread.
  • Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until set and just turning a hint of gold. Let them set on sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to fully cool.
  • Pack cookies in a sealed container at room temperature. They will keep for at least 4 days.

OM NOM NOM!

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    B&N Members save big on preordering CHEDDAR!

    Posted by on Feb 6, 2025 in Blog, cheddar luck next time | 0 comments

    My cozy mystery Cheddar Luck Next Time (out April 8th) can be preordered for 25% off at Barnes & Noble by members using code PREORDER25. Not a member? It’s free to join! Premium members save an extra 10%! This deal goes through February 7th.

    Look up your favorite authors and preorder a number of books. Preorders are ridiculously important in this business. Every bit helps!

    Preorder here!

    Cheddar Luck Next Time preorder deal at B&N

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    Bready or Not: Sourdough French Bread started in the Bread Machine (2 loaves)

    Posted by on Feb 5, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, French, sourdough, yeast bread | 0 comments

    Fresh French Bread is one of the best things on the planet. With your bread machine and a little bit of effort, you can create this wonder at home!

    Bready or Not: Sourdough French Bread started in the Bread Machine (2 loaves)

    (Of course, you don’t NEED a bread machine to make the dough. You can just use the ingredients and mix by hand. This recipe aims for greater accessibility, though, for those who are crunched for time, have conditions like arthritis, or simply hate kneading.)

    Bready or Not: Sourdough French Bread started in the Bread Machine (2 loaves)

    This recipe produces two loaves. A food scale will make for more precise results, both in assembling ingredients and dividing the dough later on.

    Bready or Not: Sourdough French Bread started in the Bread Machine (2 loaves)

    Greatly modified from Making Artisan Breads in the Bread Machine by Michelle Anderson (a book I highly recommend).

    Bready or Not: Sourdough French Bread started in the Bread Machine (2 loaves)

    A bread machine makes this bread much easier to create, and the result is delicious! The baking process includes making some steam in the oven. That creates an authentic French-style crust. Recipes makes 2 loaves.
    Author: Beth Cato

    Equipment

    • food scale
    • bread machine
    • food thermometer
    • parchment paper
    • baking sheet
    • cake pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 1/2 cups active sourdough starter (around 350 grams)
    • 3/4 cups lukewarm water (180 ml) about 100-110 degrees
    • 2 1/2 Tablespoons white sugar (31 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons sea salt
    • 4 cups bread flour (480 grams)
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast or bread machine yeast

    Instructions

    • Most bread machines call for adding liquids to the bucket first. Therefore, place the starter and water inside. Use fingertips to whisk them together. Add sugar and salt, followed by the flour and yeast. Start the machine on dough mixing mode.
    • Monitor the dough as it mixes. If it seems especially lumpy, drizzle in some extra water until the texture smooths out.
    • Once the dough is done, measure it on a food scale to divide in half. Sprinkle extra flour on a clean work surface. Press dough out to a flat rectangle, about 10 inches long, then fold inward as if folding a sheet to go in an envelope. Pinch the seam together while gently elongating bread. Place seam underneath. Set loaf on parchment paper. Repeat with other half of dough.
    • Let rise in a warm spot in the kitchen or in an oven on proof mode for an hour or so, until loaves look doubled. If loaves were in warm oven, remove them so the oven can preheat at 400 degrees. On a lower oven rack, place something like a metal cake pan that is an inch or two in depth so that it can heat as well.
    • Once the oven is preheated, use a French lame or knife to slash the top of the loaf so that it can vent while baking. Being VERY careful to not overfill or get scalded by steam, pour water into the hot pan in the oven. Immediately place the risen loaves on the rack above and close the oven (and don’t open it again until the bread looks done!).
    • Bake for 20-25 minutes, until loaves are golden and sound hollow when tapped. A check with a food thermometer should find an interior temperature over 190 degrees.
    • Let loaves cool at least 30 minutes before slicing in. Bread will keep in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen right after cooling, and will keep well for up to a month there.

    OM NOM NOM!

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      Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies in Two Sizes

      Posted by on Jan 29, 2025 in Blog, Bready or Not, brownies, chocolate | 0 comments

      I really think the pictures do justice to how incredible these Red Velvet Brownies are. They are beautiful to the eyes and delicious to the tongue.

      Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies in Two Sizes

      I’m offering up this recipe in two sizes, too: a version for a smaller pan (8×8 or 9×9) and another for a full 9×13 pan. Note that even the small pan makes a lot of brownies. These are rich enough that they feel indulgent if you have a square about the size of a fudge serving.

      Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies in Two Sizes

      Another nice thing: these keep for at least a week in a sealed container. I suppose further testing is in order to see if they keep beyond that!

      Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies in Two Sizes

      Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies (8×8 or 9×9 size)

      These Red Velvet Brownies are stunningly red with gems of white chocolate. Americolor 120 SuperRed gel color is recommended, but any gel food color will imbue these brownies with rich color; use enough drops to reach the desired tint. This recipe is sized for an 8×8 or 9×9 pan.
      Course: Dessert, Snack
      Keyword: bars, brownies, chocolate, red velvet
      Author: Beth Cato

      Equipment

      • 8×8 or 9×9 pan
      • aluminum foil
      • nonstick spray or extra butter

      Ingredients

      • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
      • 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
      • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
      • 1/4 teaspoon salt
      • 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled slightly
      • 1 1/4 cups white sugar
      • 2 large eggs room temperature
      • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
      • gel red food coloring
      • 1 teaspoon white vinegar
      • 1 cup white chocolate chips

      Instructions

      • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the pan with foil going up the sides. Apply nonstick spray or butter.
      • In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.
      • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Drip in the red food coloring, mixing it in, adding enough to reach the desired color. Add vanilla extract and vinegar. Gradually work in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
      • Dollop batter into the pan. Use an uneven spatula to level out the surface. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
      • Let cool completely, speeding process in the fridge if desired. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board to cut into small bars.
      • Store in a sealed container at room temperature. They keep for at least a week.

      OM NOM NOM!

        Bready or Not Original: Red Velvet Brownies (9×13 size)

        These Red Velvet Brownies are stunningly red with gems of white chocolate. Americolor 120 SuperRed gel color is recommended, but any gel food color will imbue these brownies with rich color; use enough drops to reach the desired tint. This recipe is sized for 9×13 pan.
        Course: Dessert
        Keyword: brownies, chocolate, red velvet
        Author: Beth Cato

        Equipment

        • 9×13 pan
        • aluminum foil
        • nonstick spray or extra butter

        Ingredients

        • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
        • 6 Tablespoons cocoa powder sifted
        • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
        • 1/2 teaspoon salt
        • 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter (3 sticks) melted and cooled slightly
        • 2 1/2 cups white sugar
        • 4 large eggs room temperature
        • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
        • gel red food coloring
        • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
        • 11 ounces white chocolate chips 1 bag

        Instructions

        • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the pan with foil going up the sides. Apply nonstick spray or butter.
        • In a small bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt.
        • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter and sugar. Add the eggs. Drip in the red food coloring, mixing it in, adding enough to reach the desired color. Add vanilla extract and vinegar. Gradually work in the dry ingredients, scraping the bottom of the bowl a few times. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
        • Dollop batter into the pan. Use an uneven spatula to level out the surface. Bake for 30 to 33 minutes, until the middle passes the toothpick test.
        • Let cool completely, speeding process in the fridge if desired. Use the foil to lift it onto a cutting board to cut into small bars.
        • Store in a sealed container at room temperature. They keep for at least a week.

        OM NOM NOM!

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