Feeling the need for a little chocolate burst last night, I went making some cookies. I have written about Pierre Herme here and here. The recipe came from him via Dorie Greenspan’s excellent cookbook Paris Sweets, which is a compendium of desserts from Paris’ best pastry shops.
What makes these cookies really special is the inclusion in the ingredients of fleur de sel, hand-harvested sea salt that is less salty and more flavourful than regular salt. Although the recipe only calls for half a teaspoon, it’s a distinctive flavour in the final cookie and really works well. (I actually have “fior di sale,” which comes from Italy rather than France, but is the same idea.)
These are dead easy and will disappear very quickly indeed, so I highly recommend them. Rather than write up the recipe, I will refer you to Dessert First, where Anita has already done so. She rates them as her favourite cookies. I’d better eat the last few before I make up my mind!
P.S. – The photos don’t really show how dark and full of chocolate they are. I took the photos late at night, and it’s impossible for me to be patient and fiddle with lighting and camera settings when there are fresh cookies cooling!
Technorati tags: korova cookies, sables, chocolate, Dorie Greenspan, Pierre Herme
yum yum yum, I made these during the holidays, very tasty. Even though I subbed a few things and the texture wasn’t quite right they were soooooo tasty and ummm..we ate em all up and shared none with the relatives hahaha.
It’s surprising what a difference salt makes in sweet things, especially caramel.
Yeah – I haven’t really played with it in caramel, but I must!
They look very good. Nice DOF.
I’m with Anita on this one – they’re my favourite cookies of all time. The salt really makes the difference – something magical happens and it enhances the chocolate flavour. Delicious! I don’t have ‘Paris Sweets’ but can highly recommend ‘Baking – From My Home to Yours’.
I have made these and they are absolutely sinful!
Your cookies look fabulous and delicious.
Oh my God, those cookies look amazing. Seriously amazing. My stomach is actually rumbling just looking at them!
Mother of Jehovah those cookies look tempting. I bow down before the God of chocolate and all baked goods.
I’m wondering who stocks the salt? Do I have to go to a posh delicatessen? Sadly I don’t live near one…
I did a taste test between ordinary rock salt and salle de Mer, which is a similar thing, I think – it’s true, it is less salty and more falvoursone! So I’m raring to go, these sound like they might be my favourite thing too.
I think posh deli would be your best best. Maybe you can have a friend in a city find it and post it? Might be available on-line as well.
They’re so good aren’t they. I made some and they just disappeared so quick 😉
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