Sable

2 ⅓ cups all purpose flour 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

½ teaspoon salt 

2 sticks (8 ounces) butter at room temperature 

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

5 egg yolks lightly beaten

Turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside. 

In an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until soft and smooth. Slowly mix in the sugar. Continue to beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks and beat until incorporated. The mixture should be satiny. 

Using a spatula fold in the dry ingredients. Do not overwork the dough. 

Divide the dough in half. Mold each half into a log 1 ½ inches in diameter. The log should be ¼ to ½ inch slimmer than a muffin cup. 

Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours and at most 2 days. 

To bake, preheat the oven to 340°. Line muffin tins with paper liners. Unwrap one log and cut into ¼ inch cookies. Put a slice of dough into each muffin cup. Sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar on top of each cookie.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to brown. Transfer to a rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes approximately 48 cookies.

Adapted from Desserts by Pierre Herme