Lavender is one of the loveliest perfumes, and a lavender bag retrieved from a drawer in the middle of winter conjures up images of summer, bees and warm nights. Most of my lavender is slowly going over after flowering early, but I also have some sorts that have only just opened. While it is in flower I like to use it fresh, not dried… in Lavender Ice Cream, Lavender Syrup, and here’s my latest lavender recipe:
Lemon and Lavender Shortbread
You will need:
- 55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
- 1 tsp fresh organic lavender flowers for just a hint of lavender – if you want a more pronounced flavour use 2 tsps
- 115g (1 stick) softened butter
- zest of 1 small lemon
- 170g (1 1/3 cups) plain flour
- pinch of salt
- extra sugar for dusting
Place all ingredients in a food processor and whizz together to form a smooth dough. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 160°C and place a sheet of parchment on a baking tray.
Roll out the dough to about 5 mm and cut into rounds or hearts etc using a cookie cutter of your choice. Place on the baking tray and prick all over with a fork. Bake for 15 minutes, when they should just begin browning. Mine needed a lttle longer today. Check them at 12 minutes as they can burn really quickly.
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with sugar. After a few minutes’ cooling, transfer carefully to a cooling rack. They will still be soft and crumbly, but crisp up as soon as they are cold.
Best enjoyed on a summer afternoon with a cup of tea!
(These shortbread biscuits are the same recipe as my Rosemary Shortbread, posted here. Change up the herbs or flavourings as the fancy takes you! 😉 )
