If you love parmesan (who doesn’t) and enjoy fresh baked cookies and biscuits (and who wouldn’t), then a parmesan sablé topped with a refreshing lemon and chive cream is a treat that is hard to beat! For this recipe you'd want a parmesan like Montanari & Gruzza Parmigiano Reggiano di Vacche Rosse which is very well suited for grating.
Equipment Oven preheated to 180 Celsius/350 FahrenheitBox grater (fine and chunky sides)Pastry brushNon-reactive mixing bowls (3 large, 1 medium, 2 small) - stainless steel, plastic or ceramicSmall containers (disposable cups/small saucers etc.)Cling filmFridge spaceSharp knifeTablespoonWhisk/forkChopping boardBaking paper/silicon sheetBaking trayResting rackScalePastry cutterBoiling water
This is a relatively simple recipe, all it requires is measuring the ingredients correctly. With a little elbow grease, you will have a large batch of cheesy delights to amaze the people you deem worthy of sharing your food.
Ingredients
Sablé Mix: 250g softened butter150g parmesan cheese, finely grated50g parmesan cheese, chunkily grated250g strong flour (T45/bread flour)3 egg yolksCayenne pepper/smoked paprika
Pre-Oven:
Egg wash (beaten egg)
50g parmesan cheese, finely grated
Garnish:
100g crème fraiche
Salt and pepper
Lemon juice
1/2 bunch of chives
Method
- Finely chop chives, set aside in a container.
- Measure out ingredients for the mix.
- Dice the butter and add to a large bowl, incorporate the parmesan by hand 50g at a time, squeezing the mixture through the fingers, until it is a unified mix.
- Add the flour in 50g at a time, chopping it in with a pastry cutter or a wooden spatula, until all of the flour has been incorporated, fold and remaining flour on the edges into the dough.
- In the small bowl, beat the egg yolks and add to the dough, folding the dough over the yolks to start and squeezing it through with your hands to fully incorporate.
- Add 1 tbsp of cayenne pepper or paprika, and mix through by hand.
- Divide mix into two portions.
- On a flat surface, roll out a 1”6ft/50cm long piece of cling film sideways, and another piece, half overlapping the previous piece length wise.
- Place a portion of the dough on the overlap, and nearly flatten it out along the overlap. Grab the edge of the piece of film that is underneath the overlap, and pull across the dough, and tuck it underneath the dough. Fold the other half of the film over the dough and seal the dough.
- Shape it into a cylinder approximately 1 inch/3cm in diameter. Repeat steps 8-9 for the remaining portion(s).
- Place the wrapped portions into the fridge on a flat surface to rest for at least 1 hour, the longer the better.
After the dough has set:
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F
- Remove it from the fridge but keep it wrapped in cling film.
- Pour some boiling water over a sharp knife.
- Cut 0.5cm/1/8inch pieces.
- Place a baking sheet on a baking tray, unwrap the pieces of dough, and place them on the tray, a couple of fingers width apart from each other.
- In the small bowl, beat an egg, and carefully eggwash the pieces, taking care to not let any drip down the edge.
- Sprinkle a pinch of finely grated parmesan onto each piece.
- Oven, 8 minutes, check if a slight golden brown crust is forming.
- Remove and rest on a rack.
Garnish:
- Mix crème fraiche, lemon juice, and most of the chives.
- 1/2 tablespoon onto sablé with a little more chives on top.
About The Author
To eat, or not to eat. The answer is blatantly yes for Michael. Born and raised in Hong Kong, he was already an avid amateur cook, imitating recipes from tv and online for his family at any given opportunity. Having rediscovered his passion for cooking, he enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu London and graduated with a new desire to work with food. When not cooking, you can find Michael practicing Wing Chun, or visiting a whiskey bar to indulge in a little scotch.
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