GILDED CHOCOLATE STARS

These are very special cookies! Imagine eating GOLD! To "gild" these, you need to invest in some *edible* gold dust from a baking supply or party supply store and a new, CLEAN paint brush.

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 - 1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened

Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg yolk and almond flavor. Beat until fluffy. Mix the cocoa and flour well and fold into the butter mixture. Form dough into a disk, wrap in waxed paper and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick between sheets of waxed paper. Chill rolled sheet of dough. Cut out stars but do not lift off paper; remove scraps from around stars, then turn paper upside down onto parchment covered or lightly greased cookie sheet. Carefully peel waxed paper off cookies, fix points if necessary, bake at 350 degrees F for 7-9 minutes or until done.
TO GILD: Let cool completely. Gild just before packing as gift or plating. Open the vial of edible GOLD dust on a dry saucer. Dip just the very end of your new, clean paintbrush into the GOLD dust. Gently brush a little GOLD dust onto the surface of the cookie. You can brush some on the end of each point and a little in the middle or start in the center and work outwards.
Remember -- Use just a hint of GOLD for the most sophisticated effect!

This recipe supplied to me by Brown Eyes! If you have any questions, ask her.