Bee Balm Shortbread

Here's another recipe using edible flowers.
This time... Red Monarda or Bee Balm. A perennial flower that attracts butterflies, birds and bees.

Pick the flowers in the morning after the dew and rinse them off then let them dry, hang if possible.

You'll need:

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 cups flour
2 tbsps bee balm petals

Cream butter and sugar together.  Normally unsalted butter is used in shortbread, but I prefer salted. Add the flour and mix until dough forms a ball. Incorporate the petals. I tried some chopped and some not. Chopped is probably the better way to go.

Roll dough on a floured board to 1/4" thickness. Cut out and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. I also tried using a cookie stamp. The image stayed pretty well on the baked cookies.

Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes.

The flavour is very mild, sort of minty.
But I love the look of the red petals in the cookies!

This might interest you as well...

http://hotandcoldrunningmom.blogspot.ca/2016/08/pork-tenderloin-with-bergamot-bee-balm.html