After our trip to Hitchin Lavender, I was a little stumped as to what I was supposed to do with my little bag of freshly picked lavender flowers, aside from putting a bunch in a vase. But then on our way back to the car, when we were still on the farm, I overheard a mother telling her children that they were going to go home and make lavender shortbread.
Thank you random mother.
Yes, it does feel slightly weird putting something that smells like your moisturiser in with butter and sugar but, ya know what, the end result does work. It’s a quirky flavour, velvety and cosy, and creates a divine smell when cooking.
For lavender biscuits, you will need:
2 tablespoon fresh lavender
175g unsalted butter
100g caster sugar
25g demerara sugar
225g plain flour
Finely chop the lavender flowers (removed from stem) and soften your butter with a quick blast in the microwave (if not already at room temperature).
Beat the butter and lavender together. By doing this thoroughly, you ensure you get the maximum flavour from the lavender.
Next, beat in the caster sugar.
Stir in the flour and then knead into dough until smooth and no longer crumbly.
Cut the dough in half and roll out into two ‘sausage’ shapes, approximately six inches long.
Roll in the demerara sugar until evenly coated.
Wrap the ‘sausages’ in foil and chill in the fridge until firm.
Pre-heat the oven at 180c.
Once the ‘sausages’ are chilled and firm, cut into slices and put onto a baking tray lined with baking paper.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until a pale golden brown. Leave on a wire rack to cool.
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