Flower Shortbread Cookies

Hi everyone,

Although these cookies are not very seasonal with Christmas being just around the corner, I thought I'd guide you through anyway. I made them mid-spring when we had an abundance of edible flowers in the garden, and my family liked them so much that they are on my next year's schedule. It may seem very complicated, but in fact they are absolutely easy to make.

Ingredients:

• 250 g softened butter
• 350 g plain flour
• 120 g icing sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• a pinch of salt
• edible flowers ( I used pansy, violets, apple and cherry blossom)
• beetroot powder (optional)

Be careful with flowers, though. Not all flowers are edible. If you are not sure, don"t risk using them. Look for organically grown flowers.

Tools:

• parchment paper
• brush
• cookie cutter
• sieve
• knife
• stand mixer
• rolling pin

Separate the egg. Save the egg white for later.

Mix butter and sugar until combined, add egg yolk, salt, vanilla and flour. Mix well, transfer the dough onto the counter and form it into a ball.

Wrap it into a piece of parchment paper and put it into the fridge for at least one hour.

Roll the dough but not too thin.

If you wish, dust with beetroot powder to add a new color and use a biscuit cutter to make the cookies.

Bake in the preheated oven, at 180 Celsius for 15 minutes.

Let them cool at room temperature.

The fun starts now!

Remove the green part from the flowers.

Brush the cookies with egg whites, place the flowers facing up on top and gently brush the flowers with another layer of egg white so that it sticks to the cookie.

Repeat the process with each cookie.

As I don' t like eating raw eggs, I decided to put the cookies back into the oven for a short time. (180 Celsius, 3 - 4 minutes) Flowers seemed to shrink slightly - so don't be afraid to put large flowers on your cookies and also, colors got paler, but I still loved the outcome.

Happy baking!