Flower Party Cookies

Beat butter and sugar with electric beaters until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add egg, vanilla and orange blossom water and beat in well.

In a separate bowl, stir flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Add to butter mixture and beat on low speed just until blended. Shape dough into 2 discs, wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ¼ -inch and cut out desired shapes, such as flowers. Place cookies on baking tray, one inch apart and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until just lightly browned around the edges. Allow to cool completely before icing.

For decoration, knead fondant to soften. Add orange blossom water and knead into fondant. Break fondant into pieces, keeping each wrapped at all times. Add just a touch of desired colour to a piece of fondant and knead in with your fingers, adjusting colour if necessary. Repeat with other pieces of fondant.

On a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll out fondant to 1/8 -inch thickness. Using the same cookie cutter as you used for the cookies, cut out a few flower shapes. Use a smaller flower cutter and cut out a flower “hole” (I like to offset this to create relief). Brush a little egg white onto the back of the large fondant flower and adhere to cookie. Cut out more small flowers and set aside. Repeat process with remaining coloured fondant pieces.

With reserved small cut-outs, arrange clusters or bouquets onto iced cookies, mixing colours, sizes and patterns to your liking. Let completed cookies dry for an hour, then store in an airtight container or package in cellophane bags and tie with a ribbon.