100 favorite cookie recipes from legendary pastry chef François Payard’s beloved patisseries and cafés Third-generation pastry chef François Payard shares his favorite cookie recipes—the bestsellers at his popular New York City patisseries and cafés, the recipes he learned from his father, and the ones he makes at home. They range from the simplest sablés (butter cookies) to the most picture-perfect macarons, with everything in between: unassuming spice cookies, jam-filled linzers and other sandwiches, elegantly fluted and scalloped cannelés and madeleines, cakelike financiers, and beautifully iced cutout cookies for every holiday. All adapted for home cooks and tested in a home kitchen, these treats are easy to make yet offer a taste of “Paris-meets-Upper East Side” luxury to anyone, anywhere. “Leave it to François Payard to create the ultimate indulgent global cookie cookbook! These pages are packed with the best cookies and explained in such a loving and approachable way!” –Johnny Iuzzini     “Sometimes all you need is a cookie. It’s two bites of satisfaction. What a wonderful look at the different shapes and flavors of something we all love—the simple, but irreplaceable, cookie.” –Dominique Ansel     “Pastry lovers everywhere will be able to bring François’ delicious cookies to their very own kitchens! From holiday cookies to linzers and macarons, there’s something for everyone in this book.” –Laurent Tourondel  François Payard is the owner of Payard Patisserie & Bistro, FP Patisserie, and FPB bakery in New York, and a former pastry chef at some of the world’s finest restaurants, including Le Bernardin and DANIEL, also in New York City. He has been named Pastry Chef of the Year by both the James Beard Foundation and  Bon Appetit , and awarded the prestigious  Ordre National du Merite Agricole  by the government of France. He lives in New York City. To learn more, visit  www.payard.com . Payard Cookies By François Payard, Anne E. McBride, Rogério Voltan Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company Copyright © 2015 François Payard All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-544-51298-6 Contents Introduction, Equipment, Ingredients, Buttery Cookies, Dipped & Filled Cookies, Nutty, Spiced & Fruity Cookies, Financiers & Tea Cakes, Tuiles & Florentines, Macarons & Meringues, Minis & Mignardises, Italian Cookies, Calendar of Cookies, Acknowledgments, Resources, Index, CHAPTER 1 Buttery COOKIES LANGUES DE CHAT PALETS AUX RAISINS GALETTES AUX NOISETTES DIAMANTS RASPBERRY DIAMANTS CORNMEAL COOKIES COCONUT STARS CHECKERBOARD COOKIES SABLÉS BRETONS SABLÉS NANTAIS SABLÉS AU THÉ SABLÉS AU CHOCOLAT KIPFERS PALMIERS Considering France's love story with butter in general, it's no surprise that my country has a rich tradition of buttery cookies, loved for their flaky and tender texture just as much as for their flavor. The cookies in this chapter are generally perfect accompaniments to a cup of tea or coffee and are easy to package as gifts. Some, like the Langues de Chat or Palets aux Raisins, are delicate small cookies, while the Sablés Bretons bake in a mini muffin pan and are sturdier as a result. Checkerboards are beautiful cookies that highlight the flavors of both orange and chocolate, for one of the most assertive cookies presented here. Coconut Stars allow you to be creative: You can make small stars indeed, or large ones, or just go wild with your favorite cookie cutter. Most of the doughs can be frozen, well wrapped in plastic and stored in a plastic container (to prevent other odors from permeating them), for up to a month, allowing you to bake just a few cookies at a time if you so wish. They bake quickly, so it'll be easy to make a few for an unexpected visit or craving. Langues de Chat MAKES ABOUT 30 COOKIES Langues de chat means "cat's tongues" in French; I like to think that it's because these cookies have a slightly rough texture but are soft and sweet. Flaky and buttery, this is a very classic French cookie that is great to serve with tea or coffee. It is a perfect platform for the flavor of vanilla since it contains few ingredients, but you can add the grated peel of one lemon to the dough if you'd like, for a citrusy variation. 4 tablespoons (50 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup (65 grams) confectioners' sugar 1 large egg white ½ cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon (5 grams) pure vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and confectioners' sugar together on low speed until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy. Add the egg white and mix until smooth. Add the flour and salt and continue mixing until the mixture is again smooth, then beat in the vanilla until it is fully incorporated. With a spatula, transfer the dough to a pastry bag fitted with a ¼inch round pastry