Sables are delicate French butter cookies, similar to shortbread. Their unique sandy texture and rich, buttery flavor are due to cooked egg yolk and European-style butter, which has a lower water content than American butter. Sables are quite fragile, so handle with care! Their crisp lightness pairs well with fruit, or adds a finishing touch to ices and sorbets.
This tart is ambrosial when made with perfectly-ripe strawberries — the berries should be crimson all over, with no white ’shoulders’. If strawberries are not in season, it is equally delicious made with raspberries, blackberries, or sliced figs.
Juicy wine-poached pears bedded in chewy almond frangipane, surrounded by a rich, crisp tart shell. A perfect tart for Autumn, even more perfect when accompanied with a glass of chilled Muscat.
Serve this almost flourless torte with a dollop of orange-scented whipped cream to accent its deep chocolate flavor. Because chocolate is one of the primary ingredients of this simple torte, it’s crucial to use good chocolate with at least 60% cocoa solids.