Sand Tarts

01Method

1. 1

   Prepare the dough: Combine the flour, powdered sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor with a blade attachment and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and continue pulsing until it is worked into the flour and the texture resembles coarse sand.

2. 2

   Incorporate the wet ingredients: Whisk together the egg yolk, cold water, and vanilla extract in a small measuring cup. With the food processor running on low speed, drizzle in the wet mixture gradually. Stop the machine as soon as the dough begins to clump together.

3. 3

   Chill the dough: Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap and press it into a flat disk roughly 1 inch thick, using the wrap to handle it without sticking. Seal tightly and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.

4. 4

   Prepare to bake: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut two additional sheets of parchment, each about 16 inches long, for rolling out the dough.

5. 5

   Roll the dough: Take the dough from the refrigerator and divide it into two equal pieces. Return one piece to the fridge. Roll the other piece out between the two parchment sheets to a thickness of 1/16 to 1/8 inch. Slide the dough (still sandwiched between the parchment) onto a baking sheet and freeze for 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Cut the cookies: Remove the dough from the freezer and place it on the counter. Peel away the top parchment sheet. Using a 2½-inch round cutter, stamp out cookies and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Collect scraps, form into a disk, and chill before re-rolling up to two more times. If the dough softens and becomes difficult to handle, freeze it for 10 minutes. Refrigerate or freeze the cut cookies while rolling out the second piece of dough.

7. 7

   Apply the toppings: Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a separate bowl. Brush the surface of each cookie with egg white, dust with cinnamon sugar, and press a pecan half into the center.

8. 8

   Bake and cool: Bake two trays at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, swapping the trays between racks halfway through, until the cookies are set and the edges just begin to turn golden. Let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.