Viennese Chocolate Sables

This is another of Pierre's recipes. These cookies are soft, crumbly, buttery and chocolatey. They have the melt-on-the-tongue texture. Truly delightful which I couldn't help but ate several when they were partially cooled.

I made half of the recipe which I regretted after taking the first bite! To add to my woes of making less, I practically burnt the first batch! :(

Charred and Bitter!

I should have known my oven's performance and gone with my experience. But I thought there could be a reason why Pierre recommended the baking temperature of 180 degrees C and the baking time between 10 to 12 minutes. I guess the short baking time threw me off my guard! Barely into 6 to 7 minutes of baking, the smell of burnt cookies pervaded the air in the kitchen. Sob! Sob! The whole tray of cookies was ruined and ended up in the bin!

Once bitten, twice shy! I reduced the temperature to 150 degrees and baked for 10 minutes. The second batch turned out fine. Phew! (wipes sweat)

Just right!

The Recipe:

260g all-purpose flour, sifted together with cocoa

30 g Dutch-processed cocoa powder or Valrhona ( I used Valrhona)

250g unsalted butter at room temperature

100g icing sugar, sifted

Pinch of salt

3 tablespoons egg whites (lightly beat 2 large egg whites and measure out 3 tablespoons)

Extra icing sugar for dusting (optional)

1. Lightly grease baking trays and preheat oven to 180 deg C (original from book, but I adjusted to 150 deg C). Prepare a pastry bag fitted with an open star nozzle.

2. Cream butter, salt and icing sugar till light and creamy. Stir in the egg whites (it's okay if mixture curdles).

3. Gradually add in the flour and cocoa and mix well. Do not overmix.

4. Fill up pastry bag and pipe out "W" shapes.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Crumbly morsels!