Coco Chanel once said “Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off”. Whilst I appreciate Coco’s sentiment, it’s something I’ve never been able to do. You’ll catch me leaving the house lit up with jewellery looking like a Christmas tree. It’s this lack of self control and discipline that I think led to me almost leaving the house looking like a pirate the other night and it’s one where I am attracted to sparkly things like a magpie.
Bracelets are like shoes, they’ll always fit no matter how much weight you gain and when I saw Joumana’s bracelets on her blog Taste of Beirut I was instantly smitten. Not only could I wear bracelets, I could eat them when I got hungry. It was like an advanced form of human survival. Forget edible underwear (ugh, have you ever tasted the stuff? It tastes like plastic strawberries) but edible jewellery is where it’s at for me.
I meant to use the Pearl sugar but errm… I forgot!
I was so smitten I made these the day after I saw them. I had most of the ingredients to hand and I discovered an ingredient that I had bought a long time ago but forgotten about, candied fennel seeds from an Indian grocery store. I thought they’d do well as beads along with other small cachous or nonpareils.
I made the dough as directed but mine didn’t rise very much. I blame it on confusion. It looked and smelt like a cookie dough so I know not to overwork those but then again it had some yeast in it so that needs some working so I treated it like a cookie dough as that was what it was supposed to be and just mixed until combined. The recipe said to leave it to rest for a few hours but well I was busy and the days are shorter now and I needed to bake them quickly so I went ahead and rested it for 1.5 hours. The dough was a little crumbly – I think a bread dough would have been less crumbly and so it was a little hard to roll these but they got easier as I got a bit more practice.
What I did find is that as Joumana mentioned, they smell wonderful. I didn’t have mahlab but of course if you do by all means use it along with the dried lavender. The good thing about these is how you can use almost any spice that you like in them (I used cinnamon and nutmeg). They are crunchy and sturdy when slightly cooled and they hold up wonderfully as bracelets. Joumana seemed to have more luck getting her nonpareils to stick to hers so perhaps it was the dough after all. But like the best jewellery that is an investment, this kind of edible jewellery is also an investment – in your stomach. They taste fantastic-crisp and aromatic, particularly the ones rolled in the sweet candied fennel seeds.
So ‘fess up Dear Reader, have you ever eaten edible underwear and what did you think of it? 
Twinkling Bracelet Cookies (Kaak bel-Haleeb)
Adapted from Nada Saleh’s Fragrance of the Earth via A Taste of Beirut
INGREDIENTS:
- 300 g of all-purpose flour (10 1/2 ounces)
- 150 g of fine semolina or cream of wheat or fine cornmeal/polenta(5 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon ground lavender
- 1/2 teaspoon yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon mahlab
- dash of ground nutmeg and ground cloves
- 160 ml milk (6 ounces)
- 210 g sugar (7 ounces)
- 75 g butter ( 2 1/2 ounces)
- box of multi-coloured or metallic small cachous/nonpareils (optional)
METHOD:
1. Line 2 baking trays with parchment. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, semolina (or cream of wheat or fine polenta/cornmeal), yeast, baking powder and spices.
2. Place the milk in a saucepan and heat a bit, add the sugar and butter and turn off the heat, stirring all the while to dissolve the sugar.
3. Mix the wet into the dry ingredients, kneading them for a little while until the dough is smooth; let the dough rest 1-2 hours.
4. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325F/160C; pinch off bits of dough and roll out into a thin rope. I found it easiest to then roll it into a long pile of the cachous and then bring the rope over to the lined baking tray and then make into a round shape then.
5. Bake for 12 minutes, you may need to flip them half-way through to make sure they don’t burn (I forgot about doing this and they didn’t burn). These will keep for at least a week in an airtight container.
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86 Comments | Add your own
They look so pretty and like real bracelets
Cheers,
Rosa
You made me laugh so hard reading your post! Your bracelets turned out beautiful, Coco would have approved!
Did I forget to mention the dough did not rise much with me either? Also, I used an egg wash to make the nonpareils stick too. In any case, great fun!
Edible and fashionable! Super cute!
Oh Lorraine, you’ve done it again! Hahah They should have sugar Tiffany logos to use in cakes and cookies for some extra bling!
Oh these are so cute. They would be lovely at a bridal shower
That’s such a cute idea!!! I did bracelets with cookies too back in February, so it’s funny to see I’m not crazy alone!!!
Love the Sparkling Bracelet Cookies!! At least when you go out wearing these and get stuck in traffic and get hungry you’ll have something to snack on
Ive never seen candied fennel seeds, but we do have candied anise seeds here in The Netherlands (‘muisjes’). We call them eat them on ‘beschuit’ when a baby is born: so-called ‘beschuit met muisjes’: pink & white for a girl, blue & white for a boy and orange for a royal baby
As for the edible underwear: I’ve never eaten them so I have no opinion about them
Haha I can’t believe your sweet creation I bet that these wonderful cookies will not last enough time in your arm before a big bite
All the best,
Gera
Wow you never fail to amaze me
The photos are superb. Love the pink and blue ones.
I love this idea – edible bling! Another receipe to save for M’s next birthday party – gosh, she is going to have the best birthday food ever thanks to you! xxx
oh these are too cute!!
Oh, NQN, these are FABULOUS!!! Now, can you do it with shoes?!
I’ve never eaten edible panties, but sort of think it’s one of those things I ought to do before I’m too old to know the difference between the edibles and the daily wear ones. Life should always be an adventure, don’t you think?
these look so pretty !!
edible undies… no..and now that i know they taste like plastic strawberries..i probably never will..
LMAO about the edible underwear comment… I am intrigued but no… I can honestly say I have never tried it =D
Lovely idea though they would be eaten before they get worn. The candied fennel seeds are interesting!
Not brave enough, in answer to the edible underwear.
I am in awe of your jewellery box. Especially love the enamel bracelet.
Shame to eat the cookies…
SSG xxx
Very creative and cool use of candied fennel seeds!
They are very cute and would make a wonderful addition to a girls party in the lolly bags. I used to love those bracelets made out of lollies. I didnt like the ones made from dried pasta as these were definitely less appetising.
Never tried edible underwear but it sounds like it tastes like a roll-up.
How cute are these bracelets. Perfect for little girls that love jewellery. Hmm edible underwear. I must admit I’ve never tried them. ehehehehe.
nice bling bling
Lovely! But where are the matching earrings, necklace, pendant, brooch and dress?
p/s: where do YOU buy edible underwear from?
I’ve never tasted edible underwear, in fact I don’t think I’ve ever seen it (such a sheltered life), but I love that you have and I WANT DETAILS!
I love these, Lorraine! Ever since Joumana posted them the other day I’ve been dying to make them too. Looks like yours came out perfect!
Oh how fun! You’re such a delightful soul with all your bling.
These would be fabulous for a girls birthday party – they could decorate their own, bake them and then wear them home!
They’re SO cute! Imagine them at a little girls’ birthday party?!
I like the taste of edible underwear, it tastes like rollups haha
cuter! would be perfect to make with kids on a rainy day.
definitely a trendsetter.
id probably see many people wearing (and munching off) this from now on!
hehe.
food+fashion! cant get any better than this.
Now I must accessorize my edible knickers with edible bling… it can be a theme!
you can get edible underwear?! how come i didn’t know about this earlier?
it sounds like you might have though.
Simply charming, just like you.
Very pretty!
How gorgeous! They remind me of the hard-dextrose-sugar-candy bracelets that I used to have in the US as a kid, where you’d nibble off one little bead at a time.
The only thing is those tasted horrible, whereas these sounds delicious. Another Lorraine win!
they look cute- and i remember those fennel seed candy things!
I can see a day of cooking with my 8 and 10 year old girls coming on! The bracelets are GORGEOUS!!
As for edible underwear, I tried those at one of those F-a-ware parties (all the rage in the 80′s – before you were born no doubt) and all I can remember is that they stuck to my teeth!
These are so cute! I know a lot of little girls who would LOVE these… not to mention some big ones
You never cease to amaze me, for one minute there I thought I would be looking at cookie beads! (YIKES, can you imagine??)Beautiful, deliberate work!
Wow! So cute. I love the idea of edible bracelets hehe and no I’ve not had edible underwear.. haha..
Too cute.
Very nice Lorraine..
I am glad you enjoyed the cookies…
My recipe is the original recipe for these cookies… and I really like the idea creating a new version of the recipe… Trust me COCO Channel with be very proud.
Adorable!
I love these! Cheaper than diamonds, too.
a great idea!
iza:)
When I saw these on Joumana’s blog I was so inspired to make them too… but alas I had to go to work. Such is the life for you as a full time blogger
You’ve done such a pretty job!
Cute. I know a certain little girl who lives in my house would LOVE these!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha,…you always make the coolest things!
These bracelets look so cool & nearly to pretty to indulge in!
Yummmm,…
Loving the idea of an edible bracelet Lorraine. Next time, I’d love to see a savoury!
They are so pretty!
Ahahaha, never eaten edible undies but I do rather like those lolly on elastic bracelets. I used to get them in my Christmas stocking. Love these biccies, SO cute though I don’t know if they’d last long on my arm ;P
My boys would love them and at least if you were could in a traffic jam you could eat them.
A great party idea for girls (maybe boys too).
I meant ‘caught’ not could.
LOL, no indeed i have not ever eaten edible underwear! You crack me up!
Love the cookie bracelets, what a clever idea.
*kisses* HH
Ooh Lorraine, these look so darling! Will definitely give them a go myself.
And like you I find it physically impossible to leave the house without looking like a Christmas tree (I honestly feel naked if I do – though like you, this also means I sometimes look a little like i’m wearing a fancy dress costume
)
Briony xx
Wow what a beautiful (and yummy) bracelet, I’m sure my 6 year old daughter would love to have one of those. What a brilliant idea for some mum – daughter bonding this Mothers day. Thanks Lorraine, you’ve got a keen eye for food that serves every special occasion.
What a fantastic idea! I’d love to wear these and just take a chunk out of my bracelet whenever I get hungry haha. And they look great as well!
OMG THEY ARE ADORABLE.
Waaaaaa, that my girls are way beyond birthday parties (well without alcohol anyway) or I would be totally making these for their parties.
Heh, I will just make em for ME!
I love these bracelets! Perfect for the girly girl AND the foodie in us, Lorraine! I want to try too. They are too lovely! And I am not going near the edible underwear thing…
This is the most brilliant thing I’ve ever heard of.
i only recently discovered joumana’s blog, but i saw these immediately and was captured! i always got candy necklaces and bracelets as a treat when i was little, and these are a more sophisticated, adult version of those, wouldn’t you say? lovely.
This is definitely a new recipe for me, I’ve never encountered anything like it. It’s pretty though and perfect for a girly day in. Goes almost as well with those nails as the Hermes does I say!
As for edible underwear…it just looks…gross.
How cute! I am so going to make these and I think my girls will go ga-ga over them.
I have to say no to the edible underwear…
So cute and given they’re so slim not as many calories as a regular cookie, hehe?
Hello Lorraine,
You’ve just inspired on how to use the candied fennel seeds other than having them straight (which is too pungent for my taste). Love the edible bracelets but I was temporarily distracted by your pretty nail color (in a good way of course!)
Um, yes, I’ve eaten it. It’s horrid.
These however, are ingenious and lovely!
hahaha love the bracelets! I can so imagine them in different colours (black, red, yellow?!?) candied underwear is so….(can’t think of a good word for it..)
My daughter’s gonna love you for these. i saw them somewhere a few days ago, and t slipped my mind.Now that you’ve made them Lorraine, I have this urge to run to the kitchen and get to work. Candied fennel seeds…LOL.We get them at every corner store here and I’ve never used them. FINALLY something I can find here easily. I’d love to see you walk out of your front door one day! Thanksfor sharing these so beautifully… BIG HUGSS!
My daughter’s gonna love you for these. i saw them somewhere a few days ago, and t slipped my mind.Now that you’ve made them Lorraine, I have this urge to run to the kitchen and get to work. Candied fennel seeds…LOL.We get them at every corner store here and I’ve never used them. FINALLY something I can find here easily. I’d love to see you walk out of your front door one day! Thanks for sharing these so beautifully… BIG HUGSS!
They’re gorgeous with all the shiny jewels!
Oh how fun! They look gorgeous – did you actually end up eating them all or just wearing most of them?
Edible undies, I haven’t tried them, but since you’ve said they taste like plastic, I’ll just take your word for it..
No edible underwear for me, thank you very much. These on the other hand I would gladly let grace my wrists…….
Oh, can’t wait to try these for the kids. As for edible undies, have you tasted that edible chocolate body paint? Ugh, nasty. Far better to melt you own good quality choc, though I guess it’s tricky – you wouldn’t want it to be too hot!
My granddaughter is going to LOVE these bracelets. Thank you!
Sugar coated fennel seeds are available at Herbies in Rozelle. He calls them LAKHS & CRORES – after the Indian words for one hundred thousand and ten million.
You’re too funny! Now this is a recipe any little girl would love!
They are so adorable!
Perfect for kid’s parties!
Wish my mum made them when I was you ng
Oh, I love this! It’s like a little girls dream! My friend has three daughters. I am so sending this to her!
Food & fashion, my two great loves!
So cute! I love when you bake things like this. I’m not much of a jewelry person myself but I’d definitely enjoy these
I haven’t eaten edible underwear before but I used to sell it…not exclusively, but we had the whole collection in a store I used to work in
Déjà vu! I mentioned that Coco Chanel quote (though I couldn’t remember who said it at the time) re: your pirate @ Merivale story – great mind think alike
These bracelets are fab! I’ve been hoarding lots of packets of different types of 100s & 1000s, cachous etc for cupcake decorations, but I’m sure I can spare some for these bracelets.
But edible undies, ummm, no, can’t say I have. Lol.
Edible bracelets is such a cool idea. And I think it will make pretty yummy presents as well.
Reminds me of those lovely eggs made of sugar. Candy necklaces have some competition now!
Ha ha I like this…I have heard this too…and say…as you walk out the door put another thing on!!!
wow these are pretty – and I love seeing them on your arm – I can imagine they would amuse little girls but I don’t fancy making the ends stick together if bagel making is any guide
I have seen candied fennel seeds for the first time elsewhere this week and now here – are they the next big thing or have I finally caught up with the rest of the world
these are so cute and something that little girls would love! reminds me of those candy necklaces
Haha I love the first two pictures!! Great job!
That’s awesome!
I LOVE this! I’m having a jewelry party at my house in a couple of weeks and this is exactly what i was looking for! i wanted cookies that had the idea of jewelry! This is beyond perfect! Thank you! Everyone will love this!
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