Buckwheat-Almond Citrus Sables

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger

Who’s in the mood for a rich, buttery cookie that’s both crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth tender?  Who appreciates the combination of a few quality ingredients that taste fantastic together because of their perfect simplicity? Me – that’s who – and these Buckwheat-Almond Citrus Sables are all of this and more.   If you love sweet, simple, easy-to-make shortbread cookies, you too will absolutely adore these Buckwheat-Almond Citrus Sables.

I was particularly drawn to this recipe because it uses buckwheat flour; a new ingredient for me and one that I was interested in baking with.  Buckwheat is a relative of rhubarb and sorrel, and therefore has more of an earthy flavor than wheat-based flours.  Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour does a fabulous job of enhancing the ground almonds and citrus in these scrumptious cookies.  It’s a good thing this recipe makes a lot of cookies because eating one is just not enough. 

 The two main ingredients in this recipe are Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour and almond meal.  You can buy unsalted, whole almonds, put them in a food processor and grind them until they resemble finely ground meal, or purchase some prepared almond meal.  As for the buckwheat flour, Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour is most often found in the specialty aisle of the supermarket, usually with the gluten-free foods. While buckwheat flour itself is technically gluten free, Hodgson Mill’s Buckwheat Flour is milled on shared equipment, and so is not guaranteed to be free from gluten.   (On the other hand, all Hodgson Mill products labeled as gluten free ARE indeed gluten free.)

I’m glad to have a bag of Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour in my arsenal of ingredients.  I can’t wait to work its flavor into more of my baked goods.   

Begin by combining the buckwheat flour and almond meal in a medium-sized bowl.  Stir to combine and set aside.

Next, cream the butter, sugar, lemon zest, orange zest and salt together until light and fluffy – about three minutes.  

This recipe calls for superfine granulated baking sugar which can be found in most grocery stores – usually in a carton versus a bag.  Regular granulated sugar can be put in a food processor and ground into smaller grains if you can’t find superfine sugar.  Having finely ground sugar adds to the delicate crumb in these cookies, and so it’s recommended. 

 

Next, add the egg yolks and vanilla extract.  Mix until everything is combined and scrape down the sides with a spatula as you go. 

Scrape down the bowl and add the flour/almond mixture and mix until just combined.  The dough will be very soft and sticky. 

Scrape the dough onto a long piece of plastic wrap (about 25 inches long) and press and smooth the dough into a 14 inch long log.  I folded over the plastic wrap and pressed on that to push the dough into a log to avoid having sticky fingers. 

Twist the ends of the plastic wrap and place the log of dough on a baking sheet.  Refrigerate dough for at least an hour and up to a day. 

 

Unwrap the chilled dough and place it on a piece of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with turbinado sugar.  Roll the dough into the sugar, slightly pressing it in to form a sugary crust. 

I like the added crunch of the turbinado sugar, and I think it takes this recipe up another notch, but regular sugar will work fine, or this step can be skipped all together.

 

Using a sharp knife, slice the log into ¼ inch coins and place them an inch apart on a lined baking sheet.   Bake about 12 – 15 minutes in a 325^˚F oven until the cookies are golden brown and fragrant.

Let the cookies cool for a minute on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

 

These Buckwheat-Almond Citrus Sables may look like an ordinary butter cookie, but after one bite you’ll know you’re eating something more special.  They’re rich and full of flavor from the Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour, almond meal and citrus zest.  It’s hard to explain how the buckwheat flour tastes in these delicious cookies; it’s really something you should experience for yourself.  One thing’s for sure, my whole family and a few lucky neighbors thought these Buckwheat-Almond Citrus Sables were amazing and kept coming back for more.  If you’re new to using buckwheat flour like I was, what better way to try it than with a great-tasting cookie?  I have a feeling you’ll be glad it’s part of your pantry, too. Enjoy!

Adapted from Chad Robertson of Tartine Bakery

• 1 cup ground almond meal
• ¾ cup Hodgson Mill Buckwheat Flour
• 14 Tablespoons butter, room temperature
• ½ cup superfine granulated baking sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ cup turbinado sugar

 

Combine the almond meal and flour in a medium-sized bowl and whisk together.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, zests and salt and mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg yolks and vanilla to the bowl and mix.  Next, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  The dough will be very soft and sticky.  Scrape the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap, about 25 inches long, and smooth and spread the dough until it’s in a 14-inch log.  Use the plastic wrap to push the dough into shape to avoid having sticky fingers.  Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to seal and place the log of dough onto a baking sheet.  Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour and up to a day.  Once chilled, unwrap the dough onto a piece of parchment paper that has been sprinkled with turbinado sugar. Gently press the dough into the sugar to create a sugar crust.  Using a sharp knife, slice the log into ¼ inch coins and place onto lined baking sheets.  Bake the cookies in a 325^˚F oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for one minute and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cooled cookies can be kept in an airtight container for 3-5 days. 

Makes approximately 40 cookies

Post by: Holly – Hodgson Mill Blogger