Helen Evans - wholegrain Wheat Sable RECIPE

Helen Evans is the baker behind Erics London in East Dulwich. This is her recipe for wholegrain wheat and barley cacao nib Sablés (makes approx. 10 biscuits) 

Our number one reason for adding wholegrain to any recipe is flavour. I truly believe that our croissants, cookies and tart cases taste better because of it. Bran adds complexity of flavour, not to mention improves the nutritional content (yes, even in butter-rich pastries!).

We embrace the challenge of upping our wholegrain content across our pastry selection, even if we choose not to shout about it too much; we see it as a secret mission to get our local community eating tastier and more nutritionally dense food (but not necessarily ‘dense’ pastries, which definitely doesn’t have to be the case).

I genuinely believe that customers remain loyal to our products because they’re flavourful and satisfying to eat, and that’s more down to the flour we use than people realise. We also feel a sense of duty to our farmer/miller, who constantly struggles with an excess of bran caused by the demand for ‘whiter’ flour.

“As bakers, we really do have the power to reduce food waste AND provide our communities with healthier and more flavourful alternatives.”

Ingredients

70g 72% chocolate 

100g wholegrain barley flour 

100g wholemeal wheat flour 

3g salt 

143g unsalted butter 

100g demerara sugar 

cacao nibs (for rolling)


METHOD

  1. Blitz the chocolate with the flours in a food processor until the chocolate is finely chopped.

  2. Cream the butter, sugar and salt until just combined. 

  3. Add the dry ingredients and beat gently until a dough begins to form.

  4. Form the dough into a tight roll (a sausage shape), 5cm in diameter. Chill the log until firm (about an hour). #

  5. Cut 1cm discs from the roll using a sharp serrated knife and space them out evenly on a baking tray lined with greaseproof parchment paper. 

  6. Bake at 170ºC (fan assisted) for 8 minutes, rotate and bake for a further 5-8 minutes, until lightly browned. 

  7. Leave them to cool completely before removing from the baking tray. Store in an airtight tin for up to 10 days