Love Knots

This is another gem from Evelyn Birge Vitz's A Continual Harvest. I am writing directly from her book because I don't want to mess it up:D

**************************
It became a custom in the later Middle Ages to wear "love knots" on St. Valentines Day. Gold pins, shaped like sideways figure 8s, they are symbols for infinity, and suggest love that is without end,eternal. The pins are traditionally made of gold, since that most precious of metals never tarnishes, never loses its perfection.

There is no need to give each other precious jewerly for St. Valentines Day, but this theme of true love is a deep and beautiful one. Here then is a recipe for "love knots," edible ones, a sweet pretzel-like twist.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
2 eggs
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
several drops of yellow food coloring
2.5 cups flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
yellow sprinkles

Beat the butter until soft. Gradually add the sugar, and blend the butter-sugar mixture until fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk, the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract and yellow food coloring (to make the dough more "golden"). Sift and stir in the flour; add the lemon rind.

Chill the dough for several hours and only remove it from the refrigerator a little at a time: this will make it easier to handle.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Shape the dough into ropes about 1/2 inch in diameter and 12 inches long, and twist these into figure 8s. Place the twists on a greased baking sheet, and bake for about 15 minutes. About half way through the cooking, gild with yellow sprinkles.

Yield: 12 to 14 love knots