s elegant as they are delicious, Peach cookies are perfect for an afternoon tea party or after dinner dessert.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c sweet butter
• 1/2 c whole milk
• 1 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 3/4 c all purpose flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 c apricot jam
• 1/4 c chocolate pieces, melted and cooled
• 1/3 c ground pecans
• 2 tsp sherry or rum
• 1/4 c water
• 1/3 c red sugar
• 2/3 c yellow-orange sugar
• Whole candied mint, lemon balm, lemon verbena leaves, violets, borage or rose petals for garnish.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 325.

2. Mix the butter, milk, sugar, eggs, baking powder, and 2 cups of the flour with an electric mixer. Blend for 1 minute on low, constantly scraping the bowl. Beat 1 minute on medium speed, while continuing to scrape the bowl.

3. Stir in the remaining flour and vanilla.

4. Shape dough into smooth 3/4 inch balls (each ball will make half a peach). Place balls 1 inch apart on lightly greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake until cookies are brown on the bottom, about 15-20 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

6. Place the tip of a small knife in the center of each cookie and carefully rotate to make a hollow. Reserve crumbs that fall off.

7. Mix 1-1/2 cups of the crumbs with jam, chocolate, nuts and rum. Fill the hollowed cookies with the crumb mixture.

8. Set 2 filled cookies, flat sides together, to resemble a peach. Press together gently.

9. Brush each "peach" lightly with water. Immediately roll one side of "peach" in red sugar for blush.

10. Sprinkle yellow/orange sugar on the "peach" to cover completely.

11. Add your whole candied leaves as your "peach stem". Voila!