Sunday, June 08, 2008

Gluten Free Corn Sablés (Cookies)

Sablé(s) translates to Sand Cookies because of their crumbly texture.
This is an adaptation of a french recipe.

You'll need:
  • 1 cup / 250g of corn flour
  • 4 tbsp / 60ml of oil or softened butter
  • 2 tbsp / 30ml of cane sugar, honey, agave or maple syrup
  • Some water
  • 1/8 tsp baking powder (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375 F / 180 C.

In a bowl, mix flour and sugar. Add the oil/butter & some water. Once you get a lumpy but somewhat sticky texture, work the dough to form a ball. Let it rest a few minutes.

Take small amounts of dough, roll them between your hands and flatten them. Place the cookies on an oiled baking sheet (parchment paper works well too).

Place the cookies in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the edges start turning brown.

Et voila! You have tasty, gluten free, egg free and dairy free cookies ;).

When I was shaping the cookies, the smell of the dough reminded me somewhat of orange blossom. So I may try adding a little orange blossom water next time. I'm sure that cocoa powder, cinnamon and other spices will also work fine.

"Corn is rich in vitamins A, B (B3 and B5), E, iron, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, complex carbohydrates, fiber, polyinsturated fat, omega-6 fatty acids and protein.

Corn is suitable for people with gluten intolerance. It is said to be a gentle moderator of the thyroid gland. Corn aids wound healing, strengthens the immune system by boosting antibody production, and keeps the skin and mucous membranes in good condition. It helps the body cope with stress, stabilizes bloog sugar, aids digestion and maintains a healthy level of blood fats."

From "The Complete Guide to Nutritional Health by Pierre Jean Cousin & Kirsten Hartvig

6 comments:

Darcey Blue said...

YUMMMMO!!
i'm making those !

Zenseer said...

They're pretty good and don't require too many ingedients nor much prep.
You won't be disappointed...
I just made another batch today adding extra cinnamon powder...They came out even better ;).

Kitty said...

Is it 1 cup cornflour or 250 grams, because 250 grams of cornflour is more than a cup.
Do you use a specific type of cornflour, I made these with the cornflour I usually use and they came out tasting terrible, rubbery and plastic like and the dough was very strange, even for gluten free, completely un workable.
Any tips? beacause I love sablés with a passion...

Zenseer said...

The recipe is adapted from a french one so even though 1 cup is approximately 250g it works just fine.
Also you can adjust the quantities for sugar and oil. My husband likes these sables a little bit sweeter...So sometimes I add 1 tbsp more sugar and 1 tbsp less oil.
It's cornflour not cornstarch! Your flower has to be yellowish. Cornflour has a corn taste and scent with a hint of sweetness. If you can't find regular cornflour you can make your own by grinding some polenta or corn meal in a coffee grinding or a blender.

Kitty said...

Thank you, thank you.
I went and checked the bag (which I have had for ages because it is rarely used) and for some reason it is half cornflour and half corn starch. Bought a bag of cornflour that I think must be similar to what you used and will try these again. It is a lot yellower anyway, closer in colour to polenta. I grew up eating sablés at christmas (French heritage) and would really miss them.

But the stuff I used before 250 grams was closer to 2 cups than one, cornstarch being so light per unit of volume must be the reason. I imagine 250 grams of the new one will be around a cup.

Zenseer said...

You should have better luck this time...And feel free to experiment. I find that conr works well with honey, cinnamon and/or chocolate ;).

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