Famous French Sablés de Noël Recipe

Family big success : I have not the time to cook a batch that I have to prepare the next one, as those cookies are eaten in no time!! 

Therefore I thought of writing for you the recipe of my own family very easy French Stars sablés de Noêl.

Regarding the glazed hazelnut and almond biscuits I followed Christelle's recipe in her French blog Cookismo : Click

SABLÉS de NOÊL RECIPE

• Flour                    190 g
• Butter (soft)         125 g
• Sugar                   125 g
• Eggs                     3 egg yolks (keep the whites for the hazelnut cookies)
• Salt                       1 pinch
• Ginger powder     1 tablespoon 
• Baking powder     1 teaspoon
• Half a lemon juice  

Mix well the soft butter with the sugar,

Add the egg yolks and the lemon,

Add the flour, baking powder and salt,

Knead until the dough comes together in a ball,

Leave it to rest for a while (or not if you are like me in a hurry),

Spread the batter of 5mm thickness on your floured countertop.

Use a cookie cutter to make about 26 stars,

Bake in preheated oven at 160 C (320 F) turning heat for 15 mn.

Clafoutis Limousin

I know that this title must sound somewhat barbarian to many of you, but it is only the name of the French cake, which recipe I am going to write hereunder. Limousin is a province of France, Limoges its capital, and the clafoutis is a speciality of this place. My grandmother who was coming from Limoges passed to me this traditional recipe. 

Those sweet cherries are just a dream, eaten freshly cut from the tree.

For my cake, I prefer to use sour cherries. They give a very pleasant slightly acid taste.

Yesterday I was offered this tool by a friend. It is a stoner. I decided to try it, and I can say it did the job successfully! It did not throw red juice on me and all around, as my old tool used to do.

Here is the clafoutis, straight out of the stove.

Now, let's write the recipe :

First of all, wash and stone the cherries.

For this cake I use a square pan 9 inches sides and 2 inches deep.

Butter the pan.

Preheat the oven to 350oF.

Ingredients : 

• 1lb sour cherries or sweet cherries
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh liquid cream
• 1 tablespoon rum or cognac
• 2 tablespoons sugar to sprinkle at the end

In a big bowl, sift together the flour, sugar and salt.

In the center add the eggs and a little milk.

Start whisking, adding the milk and the cream little by little.

Add the cognac.
Spread the sherries in the prepared pan

Pour the batter in the pan, over the cherries.

Bake for 30 to 35 mn.

Turn off the stove.

Sprinkle the sugar over the cake, and leave for 5 mn in the closed stove.
Serve slightly warm or cold.

Enjoy your cake!

Christine