Apricot Cardamom Thumbprints with Pistachio and crushed Rose Petals

how thoughtful...some flowers...

always a welcome gift...

BUT, why not get a little creative and make your gift of flowers edible and cute...?

thumbprints are old school.  they look like little flowers, they are so versatile and you can make them fit anyone's flavor favorites.  i chose to go the Middle Eastern route with cardamom, pistachios, apricot and rose petals.  while you can't necessarily taste the rose, it sounds fancy and you know it's there.

there are a ton of thumbprint recipes out there and they are all pretty similar.  this happens to be Martha Stewart's recipe.   it's simple, it works...although a little tedious, it's well worth the effort when you see the smiles.

i say tedious because i think most cookies are time consuming......so many batches in and out of the oven and having a watchful eye to get them just right.

i wish it weren't so, but i definitely fall (fail?) in the ranks of perfectionism so my cookies take longer than the average.

mind you...my cookies don't all come out perfect no matter how hard i try...and try.

BUT THEY ALL TASTE PRETTY DARN GOOD !

MIDDLE EASTERN INSPIRED THUMBPRINT COOKIES

slightly adapted from Martha Stewart...original found HERE

1 /2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar

1 large egg...separated.

1 tsp pure vanilla

1 1/4 cups AP flour

1/4 (a little more) ground cardamom

dash of cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup pistachios, chopped fine

2Tbsp edible rose petals chopped or crushed into tiny pieces

5 - 6 dried apricots, chopped into small cubes or pieces for thumbprint

apricot preserves or jam...i like Bon Maman

put butter and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment.  mix for 3 - 4 minutes until pale and fluffy.  add egg yolk and vanilla, mix well.  mix the flour, cardamom and salt in a small bowl...lower speed and add flour mixture.  mix until just combined.  refrigerate dough for 2 hours.

preheat the oven to 325 F

stir together pistachios, petals and 2 Tbsp sugar in a small bowl...NOTE...not sure that the sugar is necessary...i think i would have left it out because i like more nuts and petal pieces stuck on the outside.

beat the egg white in a small bowl (slightly beat, but not to a meringue).

roll the dough into 1 inch balls. NOTE...1 inch seems really small, but don't make them bigger.

dip the balls into the egg white then roll in the nut/petal mixture.

press down the center of each ball with your thumb...i tried to use my large thumb, then changed to the end of a wooded spoon for a more uniform hole.

NOTE...you will see cracking around the edges.  some look cute that way and some i pressed back together, closing the cracks.  depending on how thick your jam is you might have seepage.

bake for 10 minutes and remove from oven.  lightly re-press the hole with the end of a wooden spoon.

at this time i put in a piece or a few pieces of dried apricot and a small dollop of apricot jam over the piece...then back into the oven until golden brown...about 8 - 10 minutes.

let cool on wire racks.

NOTE...if you put the jam in before the second baking they seem to hold up and travel better...easier to give away.  you may chose to put the jam in after all baking is done.