“The world laughs at flowers,” said Emerson. Loria Stern I strongly agree. I first tasted her plant-encrusted cuisine at a retreat in North Cali a few years ago.food teeth her canvas.
When I received Loria’s cookbook, eat your flowers, devoured each flower-encrusted page in last week’s email. From Caper Flower Vegan Kale with Her Dressing Her Caesar to Raw Her Cashew Her Floral Her Cheesecake, Loria’s mission is to inspire others to explore and be creative in the kitchen. Giving is obvious. “Bright colors, complex flavors, not to mention nutritional and medicinal additions,” she says.
In honor of last month’s cookbook launch, Loria is here to share the recipe that made her Insta-famous: her flower-pressed shortbread cookies. Keep scrolling for Loria’s tips for making these flower cookies, as well as ideas for using plants of all shades.
For me, food is an art, should do it Experience it with all your senses.
Your culinary and creative work excites the senses of your readers. Where did this desire to go beyond taste come from?
I have always believed that life should be enjoyed with all five senses. We all experience emotions, and emotions are inspired by sensations. I believe that’s what makes a work of art. And for me, food is art, should do it Experience it with all your senses.
You write that growing up in Ojai influenced your love of nature and your approach to cooking. What are your tips for adopting this slower, more thoughtful, food-focused lifestyle?
I believe that there is nature to be enjoyed everywhere. Deserts, snowy mountains, tranquil lakes, idyllic parks, cliffs and crashing waves. Deliberately taking time out of your busy life to spend time in nature wherever you are.
Both your book and your cooking are testaments to the limitless creativity found in food. What’s a small, easy way to get inspired by food?
There are multiple ways. First, try different recipes to really identify them, then incorporate different ingredients to vary the taste. The second is to focus on seasonal ingredients and try recipes related to that ingredient.
What is an accessible way to bring flowers into my kitchen?
I am a big proponent of heading to your local farmers market and meeting your farmer. I grow edible flowers. My recommendation is to go to the Farmer’s Market, meet the farmers (especially the cute ones) and ask if you can buy some edible flowers. you!
What is your favorite flower for cooking and baking?
That is a very difficult question to answer! Rose petals, calendula, bachelor buttons, violas, pansies, and a few others. The reason I love baking with these is because they produce vibrantly colored and vibrant baked goods.
Loria’s Tips for Making Shortbread Flower Cookies
The flavor of edible flowers and herbs are beautifully blended into the buttery shortbread dough. Begonia adds apple-like tartness, while viola flowers amplify the natural sweetness. In the recipe below, I used a variety of botanicals, but some of my favorites are the lush looking pea tendrils. Hibiscus and maple leaves are reminiscent of autumn. Soft green herbs and freeze-dried peppercorns to celebrate the holidays. Don’t be afraid to get creative and mix and match your favorite flowers and herbs.look [below] Some of my favorite combinations. Pressing whole flowers into the dough can overwhelm the flavor of the cookie, so petals, small flowers, and soft stems work best here.
In Victorian times in the 1800s, it was common to attach edible flowers to cookies. After the cookies were baked, they were coated with egg whites with crystallized flowers for longevity. Instead, I choose to pin the plants by pressing them into dough and freezing them, then baking the cookies with the flowers in place. The recipe is easy to make in bulk as it is much more effective at preserving herbs. You can also make these beautiful treats vegan (using our vegan cookie recipe, of course). , is a beautiful way to add another dimension to the pressed flower element.
How to decorate shortbread flower cookies
combination of flavors
Try these easy, flavorful alternatives to shortbread dough! Choose pressed botanicals that enhance the color of the dough. Contrasting colors often look great.
Matcha Alfalfa: Mix ¼ cup (20 g) matcha powder into the flour and mix until the color is even, then add to the blender. Use fresh pressed wheatgrass (instead of vanilla extract).
Turmeric Lemon: Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest along with the butter and substitute fresh lemon juice for the vanilla extract. Mix 3 tablespoons (15g) of turmeric powder into the flour and stir until the color is even, then add to the blender.
Raspberry Rose: Substitute rose water for vanilla extract. Replace 63g of cake flour with 50g of raspberry powder and stir until the color is even, then add to the blender.
Blueberry: Use blueberry extract instead of vanilla extract. Replace 63 g of flour with 50 g of blueberry powder and replace 32 g of flour with 20 g of blue spirulina or butterfly pea powder. Stir until the color is uniform before adding to the blender. Add 1/2 cup (13 g) of freeze-dried blueberries to the batter.
Charcoal: Add 3 tablespoons (15 g) of activated charcoal powder to the flour and stir until the color is even, then add to the blender.
ornaments
Get inspired by the colors and flavors of the season with these decorations.
Fall: Opt to press cookie dough with edible maple or hibiscus leaves instead of colorful flowers.
Winter: Use bright greens such as carrot tops, chervil, thyme, tarragon, and freeze-dried pink peppercorns, and decorate them like holly branches and small wreaths.
explanation
This is the recipe that started it all! These beautiful cookies have had a huge impact on my career in the food industry. Subtly sweet and slightly salty, my signature cookies are fun to make and fun to share with others. I like to use colorful flowers, so when placed on a platter, the cookies give the impression of a torn page from a pressed flower book.
- 1 1/2 cup (3 sticks/339 g) room temperature unsalted butter
- 1300g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3 big yolk
- 2 tablespoons (25g) pure vanilla essence
- Four cup (611 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cup A mixture of edible petals and tender herbs
- millet sugar for sprinkling
- line 2 Set aside a flexible cutting mat lined with parchment paper.
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, granulated sugar, and salt thoroughly for 1 to 2 minutes on medium speed. Add vanilla and mix. Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough comes together, about 5 minutes.
-
Place the dough on a large sheet of parchment. Place another piece of parchment on top of it and roll the dough to ? inches thick. Remove the top piece of parchment and cut out the cookies with a 3-inch round cookie cutter, artfully garnishing each round with edible petals and herbs. Undo the top sheet of parchment paper and gently roll each cookie to hold the flowers in place. Place in. Reroll and repeat with remaining dough strips.
-
Stack the flexible mats with the unbaked cookies and place in the freezer for 12-24 hours. This allows the flowers and herbs to retain their vibrant color in the hot oven.
-
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit with the rack centered. Line the sheet pan with parchment paper.
-
Arrange cookies on prepared baking sheet, leaving 1/4-inch space between. Bake for 9 minutes. Rotate the skillet and bake for an additional 8 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Transfer to a cooling rack and dust with cane sugar. Look!
-
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks and in the freezer for up to 2 months.
From “Eat Your Flowers” by Loria Stern. Copyright 2023 by Loria Stern. Published by William Morrow, imprinted by HarperCollins Publishers.
