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1
Combine the butter and sugar in a food processor and process until fluffy.
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2
Add the egg and orange flower water and mix until blended.
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3
Add the flour and salt and mix until smooth.
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4
Turn out the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead gently until it forms a ball.
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5
Add a touch more flour if the dough is too moist, or a little ice-cold water, a teaspoon at a time, if it is too dry.
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6
Divide the dough into two slightly flattened balls, wrap each half in plastic, and refrigerate for an hour, or up to a day.
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7
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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8
Remove one ball of dough from the refrigerator and divide it into 8 equal pieces.
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9
Roll each piece with the palm of your hand on your work surface until it forms a log, about 3 inches in length.
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10
Cut the log in two with a knife so you have two 1 1/2 inch logs, and set aside.
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11
Repeat with the other pieces until you have sixteen small logs.
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12
Pinch the ends of each log and flatten the top slightly, to form a boat shape.
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13
With the tip of a round-ended knife, carve a deep slit lengthwise down the centre, not quite reaching the other side or the ends.
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14
Arrange the cookies on the baking sheet and repeat with the second half of the dough.
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15
Brush with the egg yolk mixture.
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16
Bake for 15 minutes, until golden and slightly browned at the tips.
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17
Transfer to a rack to cool completely and serve with coffee or tea.
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18
The navettes will keep for a couple of weeks at room temperature in an airtight container.
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19
They will harden after the first few days, but you can revive their initial texture by reheating them for 3-4 minutes at 350F - in Provence, they claim that a bit of their sunshine does the trick.
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20
The dough can also be frozen for up to a month.
