Chocolate Covered Sables (French Butter Cookies)

I hope you will not hate me when I tell you that I don't like cookies. I know, I know, what a weirdo. But it's true, I've always been like this, since I was a kid. There was only one kind of cookie that I've ever liked, and that is shortbread, or as Americans call it, a butter cookie. I mean, I have good taste, right, what's not to like in a butter cookie?

So the other day, I was home alone and decided that I should make a batch of cookies for some of my co-workers. I haven't fed them recently, and I was getting a little worried about the decreasing size of their waistlines. I kid, I kid. It's just that some of them have been really nice to me lately, and I wanted to say thank you.


I was browsing the blog of someone whose creations consistently delight me, and I came across a recipe for a French butter cookie. I don't think I've ever tried one of those before, I thought. Check on the Irish shortbread cookie, check on the Scottish shortbread cookie, check on the American and the Russian versions, but startlingly, no French. Oh boy, did I remedy that little oversight. The cookie by itself is a great little snack, but I decided to dress it up in chocolate and crushed walnuts, and that's when it all really sang. And then I got a little cookie-happy and made this:


Here is the recipe for the cookies. So cute, no?

For the ganache, I whisked equal parts of dark chocolate and cream over a double boiler until smooth and shiny (mine didn't come out very shiny this time, but oh well), dipped the cookies into it, lined them up on a piece of wax paper and sprinkled with crushed walnuts. I then refrigerated for about an hour and separated the cookies by carefully sliding a knife under each cookie to release from the paper. They were really quick and easy to make and a huge hit at work! Thanks, Helen for the recipe!