Sablés de Trouville and a Book Giveaway!

     Jennifer from Shawnee, Kansas, was the winner of Mastering the Art of French Eating!  Thanks to everyone who left a comment for this drawing.

     If you are anything like me and constantly dream of being in France, constantly dream of living in France, or just have the desire for a short visit to immerse yourself in France's culinary history, this is the book for you.  (Read the Wall Street Journal's review of Mastering the Art of French Eating, HERE).  Author Ann Mah writes of her life in Paris after moving there with her diplomat husband in 2008, only to find herself on her own when he is transferred to Iraq for a year.  The book chronicles Mah's process of acclimating into French life and discovering the unique foods of different French regions.  When I am left only to my dreams, experiencing France through Ann Mah's writing is the next best thing to actually being there!
     Ann Mah's publisher, Penquin Group, will be giving away one copy of Mastering the Art of French Eating to a LivingTastefully reader.  All you need to do to be entered into the drawing is leave a comment in the comment section of this post by the end of the day December 13th.  At publisher's request, entries will be limited to the U.S. and Canada.

     
     Since the book giveaway is about all things French, the recipe today is for Sablés de Trouville; a rolled, fan-shaped French cookie filled with almonds and lemon -- possibly one of my favorite flavor combinations.  And to amp up the citrusy lemon taste just a bit, I drizzled the tips of the cookies with a mix of confectioners' sugar and fresh lemon juice; then sprinkled the glaze of icing with coarse, sparkly sugar (think holiday cookie platters!). 
    

                              an adapted recipe from Debra F. Weber, About, inc.

• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cups ground, blanched almonds
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• Confectioners' sugar
• Fresh lemon juice

1.  Beat butter together with lemon zest, almond extract and vanilla extract until fluffy.
2.  Gradually beat in the sugar and ground almonds until combined.
3.  Beat in the eggs yolks.
4.  Working slowly, beat in flour a little at a time.
5.  Gather the dough into a ball and refrigerate, wrapped in plastic, for at least 2 hours.
6.  PREHEAT OVEN to 400˚F
7.  Divide dough into 3 portions.  Keep portions you are not working with in the refrigerator until needed.
8.  Roll the dough between 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick (see NOTE below).  Using a round cookie cutter approximately 5-inch in diameter (or a 5-inch bowl or plate as a guide), cut dough into circles; then cut each circle into quarters.
9.  Transfer each triangle to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silpat.  Bake for approximately 6-8 minutes.
10.  Cool cookies on a rack.  When completely cooled, mix together Confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl, using proportions to create a mixture the consistency of heavy cream.  Spoon a small amount of the lemon-sugar mixture onto the tips of the cookies and sprinkle with coarse, decorative sugar.
NOTE:  The original recipe instructs to roll cookies to 1/4-inch and bake for 5 to 6 minutes.  I always prefer a thinner (crisper) cookie and a little browness around the edges; therefore I have increased my baking time by a couple of minutes.  Roll and bake cookies to your preference.
 

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