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Enchanting Eats

June 1, 2011 /

Sunflower Sunburst Cookies

Photo by Kazuhiko Teramoto, used with Creative Commons license
Link to photo


Now is the time to hit your farmer’s market to enjoy the Sun’s hard work! We are coming into summer squashes, corn, tomatoes, lettuces, cucumbers, peppers, as well as berries, citrus fruits, and melons. This is also a great time to indulge in some local wine or any frilly, fruity drinks.

To honor the Sun, you can choose foods that are the colors of the sun–yellow, white, orange, and red. Cooking over an open fire or grilling tap into the Sun’s heat energy. Sun-dried foods also work in the same way. Spicy foods are also perfect for this time of year.

One flower stands out as a mirror image of the sun, the sunflower. With its radiating yellow petals and sky high stems, it is easy to see the resemblance. These cookies are a great crunchy treat and pack a nutritious punch.

1.             Preheat oven to 350.

2.             In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 tsp lemon zest, 2/3 cup (10 Tbsp + 2 tsp) chilled and cubed butter, 1 Tbsp honey, and 1 egg. Dough will be dry.

3.             Knead by hand, or on low setting, until smooth. Wrap and chill for half an hour.

4.             In a saucepan, heat 2½ Tbsp butter, ¼ cup honey, and 2 Tbsp cream over medium heat. Stir in 1¼ toasted sunflower seeds. Set aside and cool.

5.             Roll out chilled dough and cut into shapes. (See below for ideas)

6.             Place on lined sheet pans and top with 1 tsp of the seed topping.

7.             Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown. If desired, top with lemon zest while still hot.

You can use any cookie cutter you like, but sunburst cutters are widely available. In a pinch, use a juice glass to cut round cookies. If you don’t like sunflower seeds, no problem. Bake off the cookies sans topping. When cooled, decorate with a simple icing by mixing powdered sugar and lemon juice for a bright variant. Depending on the size of your cookies, you should get 3-5 dozen. That’s plenty for your Summer Solstice celebration!

Enjoy and Blessed Be!