Luxurious Sunflower Seed Butter Food

SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

Steps:

• Place sunflower seeds into the jar or bowl of a high-powered blender or food processor, respectively. Pulse the sunflower seeds until they are finely chopped.
• Process or blend on a low speed for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down the sides. The sunflower seed will be dry and gritty.
• Process or blend on a low speed a second time for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down sides. The sunflower seed butter will start to form a clumpy paste. If using raw sunflower seeds, you may need to add 1-2 tablespoons unflavored oil to facilitate the blending.
• Process or blend on a low speed a third time for 1 minute continuously, then stop the machine and scrape down sides. The sunflower seed butter will be thick and grainy at this point. Add more oil, if needed.
• Process or blend on a medium speed fourth time for 1 to 2 minutes longer. The sunflower seed butter should be creamy and smooth at this point. It may be hot to the touch, so allow it to cool before transferring to a jar. If using sugar or salt, add it now and process or blend again to combine (I like 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 teaspoon salt).
• The sunflower seed butter will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for several months, but can also be kept at room temperature for a couple of weeks.

LUXURIOUS SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and spread on the seeds in an even layer. Roast for 9-12 minutes, until some of the seeds are lightly golden. Cool the seeds for a few minutes before using.
• Meanwhile, add the sugar into a high speed blender and grind until a powder forms. Leave the lid on and set aside so the "dust" can settle.
• Spoon the toasted seeds into a heavy-duty food processor. (I like to spoon the seeds into my measuring cup and transfer them that way. When I have about 1/2 cup of seeds left on the pan I will use the parchment paper to "funnel" the remaining seeds into the processor.)
• Process the seeds for a few minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl every minute. It will look dry and powdery at this stage. (If you have a chute, you can leave it open to allow steam to escape.)
• Add the coconut oil and process for another couple minutes. The butter will clump together into a large ball and it'll start rattling around for a bit. Then, the ball will eventually break down into butter again. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Now, add in the ground sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Process for another few minutes until smooth. Now, slowly stream in the vanilla while processing. Add in the vanilla bean seeds, if using. You can add a touch more oil if you need to thin out the butter (but do not add water or liquid sweetener because it will seize). I like to let the machine run at least another 2 minutes to get the sunflower seed butter super smooth. I process for a total of about 8 minutes, but timing will vary based on your food processor and preference. Some machines may need to run for upwards of 15 minutes to get the seed butter smooth enough.
• Transfer the sunflower seed butter into an air-tight container. Chill in the fridge. Here it'll keep for about 2 months and it will remain "spreadable" even when chilled.

SUNFLOWER BUTTER

Steps:

• Toast the seeds in a large, dry frying pan over a low heat, stirring so they don't burn. This will enhance the flavour and help release the oils. Tip the seeds into a high-powered blender and blitz while they're still warm, until finely chopped and powdery.
• If your blender is high-speed, you can make the butter from the seeds alone - continue to blitz until the oils are released and the seeds turn into a smooth butter (this may take 20-30 mins), stopping to scrape down the sides and let the motor rest occasionally. If you don't have a high-speed blender, slowly add the coconut oil with the motor running, and continue to blitz until the mix comes together into a ball, then transforms into butter.
• Add the syrup and/or salt to taste, or leave plain. Spoon into sterilised jars (see tip, below) and chill until needed. Will keep chilled for up to a month.