A buttery shortbread cookie, sweet and salty, with a fantastic melt-in-your-mouth texture and a flavor you weren't expecting, these make great appetizers and snacks. They can also be frozen before baking.
With big names like the one in the title come even bigger expectations. I don't expect anything less than an unbelievably good olive sablé recipe from the pastry master.
In my opinion, these crumbly, sweet and salty sables are ridiculously good. The texture alone will put Proust's madeleine to shame.
But that's me. I have a feeling the opinions will be divided like the red sea as this is a unique cookie recipe.
A twist on classic sablés (the french take on shortbread) that is tweaked to incorporate olive oil, black olives, cornstarch and a hard-boiled egg yolk. Yes. Already boiled. And grated.
It needs a few hours in the fridge to firm up enough to be cut, so they can be made a few days in advance or frozen. Just transfer the day before to the fridge.
This recipe stands out because of the ingredients, not the technique.
I made it in one bowl with a wooden spoon, like I always mix shortbread. You can use an electric mixer.
Substitute potato starch for the cornstarch if that's what you have available.
And though these are clearly olive shortbread cookies, the most interesting part is the cookie dough itself.
I will make this a million times more, I know it. I want to try adding citrus zest, toasted walnuts or sesame seeds. I have so many ideas in my mind already.
There are so many good ways to substitute flavors. And these appetizer cookie dough is a great canvas.
PrintOlive Shortbread
Fantastic and unique cookies. Perfect as an afternoon snack or appetizer.
The dough should chill for at least several hours, better overnight and you should use an oil-cured, meaty and chewy olive, canned black olives won't work in this recipe.
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 40 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 large hard-boiled egg (use white for something else)
- 2 ¼ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons (45 g) cornstarch
- 15 tablespoons unsalted butter (215 g), at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) light olive oil
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ cup (about 2 ½ oz/ 70g) pitted black olives, chopped
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or fleur de sel (optional but good)
Instructions
- Sift the flour and cornstarch into a large bowl. Grate the hard-boiled yolk over the dry ingredients and whisk to thoroughly blend.
- Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until it's soft and creamy. Beat in the olive oil, followed by the grated yolk. Blend in the confectioners' sugar, reduce the speed to low, and add the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough just comes together, then stir in the chopped olives. You'll have a very soft, very pliable dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide it into thirds, and shape each piece into a log about 1 ½ inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for at least 2 hours. If you're in a hurry, you can freeze the logs for an hour or so.
- When you're ready to bake the sables, center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325° F/ 160° C.
- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Working with 1 log at a time, slice the cookies about ¼ inch thick and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. If they break, just press them slightly together with your fingers.
- Bake the sables for 15 to 18 minutes, one sheet at a time, rotating it at the half-time mark. When done, they may turn golden around the edges, but you don't want them to brown. The cookies are firm but not colored.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire or cooling rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining logs of dough, using a cool baking sheet each time.
- Store in airtight tins.
Notes
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- The logs can be frozen for up to 2 months, there's no need to defrost before slicing and baking.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Refrigeration time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
ZeeKhana Khazana says
I have seen this for the very first time. It looks pretty impressive. I am agree with the concept of substituting ingredients. I will prepare such olive using Indian Food Recepies and share with friends.
Joan Price says
I would never have thought to try something like this, but it looks so good! I've been cooking with different olive types and trying out different oil recipes. Maybe I'll put baking with them next on the list!
Rose says
I do like traditional sables, but with the olives they were something very special. I will definitely make this recipe again.
Mary Hirsch says
Your meanderings (meaning, your writing) in your Posts just keeps getting better and better. Just enjoyed reading the first paragraph. Didn't like David's seaweed sébles but loved these. And, you're right, just like the loaf cake, we can go all different ways with this mixture. It's that good. But, of course, you know me, I have to wait until the rest of you more creative adventurers give me suggestions. The only improvements/changes I had in mind, per Mardi are oilier olives and sea salt topping. So, thank you for yours. I think you sliced yours bigger than I did and I love the looks of yours. Like you, I cannot wait to make these again.
heidi says
Great post!! I loved your photo of the cookies before they were baked. As per my post, I cannot figure out how to make the darn things round when shaping them and your photo gave a great tip. Also, your idea of not going into a store while watching your calories is a great one. I need to get on that bus!
alfews says
These looks so good!! Great pictures! I like the substitute of cornstarch for potato starch.
mireia badia says
This looks delicious, as I was reading your blog I needed a bite, YUUUM!
Cocoa and Lavender says
THese do look ridiculously good. At first I don't know if they were a dessert or an appetizer, and now I think I could use them either way! ~ David
mividaenundulce says
Not so hard to make, right? My son and I are the only ones at home that enjoy eating olives, so this could be just for both of us.
ahu says
Pierre Herme is the man. love it.
Mardi Michels says
Hey - a stand mixer is one bowl too 😉 Your cookies look great and your dough is perfect- I am still trying to figure out what I did wrong with mine. I still preferred the seaweed sablés we made earlier though...
Medeja says
Lovely shortbread! I think with a glass of white wine would taste just perfect 🙂