Sunflower seeds will always have a special place in my memory because as a child, I remember eating them, roasted and salted, from the shell as a small pile of discarded sunflower seed shells forming beside me. My sister and I would have competitions to see who could remove the seed from the shell the fastest!
We also had a huge sunflower field very close to my parents summer house where we would run and play. The sunflower seed is something that’s highly appreciated in Turkey which is where I am from originally. I hope to visit my sister in Turkey and be eating these wonderful seeds together again in 2021😊
To make the seed butter…
Ingredients
3 cups raw unroasted sunflower seeds
4 tablespoons of water
¼ tsp sea salt
Instructions
Add the water to the raw sunflower seeds and leave the seeds to gain more moisture. Approx. 2-3 hours. These will plump up and become creamier when processed into a butter.
1. Roast the sunflower seeds in the over at 175ºC (fan assisted) for 10-12 minutes until light golden brown. Let to cool till room temperature.
2. Blend them in a high-speed processor/blender. It’s best to do so at intervals so the seeds (and machine) don’t overheat. Blend until a butter forms, scraping down sides as needed.
3. Add the salt and keep blending while taking breaks. Resist the urge to add any additional oil (and especially not water, as it will cause the butter to seize up). For a smooth sunflower seed butter, blend for about 15 minutes.
4. Once the homemade sunflower seed butter is ready, transfer it to an airtight glass container and keep this in the fridge for 1-2 months.
This spread is perfect for toast, baked goods, waffles, pancakes. You can sweeten it up by adding a little honey or maple syrup and cinnamon to it! So versatile and creamy. A great addition to your breakfast table.