Jammy Strawberry & Brown Butter Sablé Slab
I grew up in Paris, where afternoon treats meant precise, delicate little pastries. I love them, but frankly, we are not suffering for brunch in our own kitchens. I developed this Jammy Strawberry & Brown Butter Sablé Slab when I wanted the shatteringly crisp texture of a classic French shortbread without the fuss of a rolling pin.The Bay Area strawberries at my local market were practically begging to be roasted into submission. Roasting concentrates their juices, ensuring your baked base doesn't end up tight like a bad alibi. We use a press-in method here. It is a massive time-saver. The base is enriched with beurre noisette (brown butter), which adds a deep, nutty backbone that grounds the sweet fruit. Butter is not a garnish; it is the whole foundation. To make it your own, simply swap the strawberries for whatever seasonal fruit looks best—apricots or plums are brilliant.Cami's shortcut note: Brown the butter the night before and let it solidify in the fridge. Let time do the work.Don't skip this: Take the butter dark enough that it smells like toasted hazelnuts. Look for a deep amber wobble before you pull it off the heat. Bake the slab until the edges pull away and the jammy fruit bubbles wildly.
Featured Recipe
Jammy Strawberry & Brown Butter Sablé Slab
Afternoon tea doesn't mean fussy petit fours and piping bags. We are not suffering for our weekend treats. This slab sablé relies on a press-in, no-roll crust enriched with deeply toasted brown butter, creating a shatteringly crisp base that holds its own against jammy, roasted strawberries.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted cultured butter(226g)
- 1 lb fresh strawberries(450g, hulled and halved)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar(50g)
- 1 tbsp lemon zest(from about 1 large lemon)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar(90g)
- 2 large egg yolks(room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour(250g)
- 1/2 cup almond flour(50g, blanched)
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt(plus more for finishing)
Instructions
- 1
Melt 1 cup unsalted cultured butter in a saucepan over medium heat. It will foam, then crackle. Swirl the pan until the milk solids drop to the bottom and turn the color of a wet penny. You are making beurre noisette (brown butter), the backbone of this dessert. Pour it immediately into a wide metal bowl to stop the cooking.
8 min
Tip: Butter is not a garnish; treat it with respect. Don't walk away while it browns.
- 2
Place the metal bowl in the freezer. You want the butter to become opaque and set to the texture of soft lip balm. Cami's shortcut note: The freezer trick takes this from a two-hour wait to a 15-minute pause.
15 min
Tip: Keep an eye on it. You want soft room-temperature consistency, not a frozen brick.
- 3
While the butter chills, toss 1 lb fresh strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tbsp lemon zest in a bowl. Let them sit so they release their water.
10 min
Tip: Why it works: Sugar draws out moisture via osmosis. Water is the enemy of a crisp crust, so we extract it before baking.
- 4
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch quarter sheet pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the edges so you can lift the slab out later.
5 min
- 5
Take your chilled, opaque brown butter and beat in 3/4 cup powdered sugar until creamy. Add 2 large egg yolks and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Mix just until incorporated. Fold in 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup almond flour, and 1 tsp flaky sea salt. The dough will look sandy (sablé literally means sandy). Don't overwork it or the crumb gets tight like a bad alibi.
5 min
Tip: A wooden spoon or a spatula works perfectly here. No mixer needed.
- 6
Dump the dough into your lined pan. Use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to press it firmly into an even layer.
5 min
Tip: Press firmly to ensure a solid base that won't crumble when cut.
- 7
Use a slotted spoon to scatter the macerated strawberries evenly over the dough. Don't skip this: Leave the accumulated red liquid in the bowl (drink it later with sparkling water). Press the berries gently into the crust.
2 min
- 8
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Look for visual cues: the exposed edges of the crust should be deeply golden and the strawberries should look collapsed, matte, and jammy.
40 min
Tip: If your oven runs hot, rotate the pan halfway through.
- 9
Let it cool completely in the pan. If you try to cut it warm, it will shatter into a tragic, delicious mess. Let time do the work. Once cooled, use the parchment overhang to lift it out, then use a sharp chef's knife to slice into elegant fingers.
60 min
Tip: Wipe your knife between cuts for sharp, café-level edges.
Chef's Notes
Sablé Breton is a classic French shortbread that typically requires rolling and chilling. Pressing it into a slab format cuts the active time in half without sacrificing any of that buttery, lacy texture. The almond flour adds a nutty dimension that perfectly bridges the gap between the roasted strawberries and the deep, toffee notes of the brown butter.
Camille Roux
Café-level bakes, weeknight methods, zero compromise.
Camille “Cami” Roux was born in Paris with flour in her hair and a healthy skepticism of culinary dogma. She grew up around neighborhood boulangeries that treated crust and crumb like religion—but what stuck with her wasn’t rigid tradition. It was the quiet precision: good butter that actually tastes like milk, patient fermentation that builds flavor for free, and desserts that know when to stop before they get cloying. After moving to the Bay Area, Cami trained in a bread-and-pastry scene obsessed with texture, naturally leavened doughs, and seasonal fruit—Tartine energy, minus the martyrdom. She became known for loaves that sing when they cool, jammy tarts with clean edges, and “how is this so good?” weeknight pastries made with a few smart shortcuts. Her motto is high impact, low fuss: splurge where it counts (butter, salt, time), streamline the rest (sheet pans, one bowl, cold-proofing). If it doesn’t improve flavor or structure, it doesn’t earn a step.