Lavender Dream Biscuits
20One evening a couple of months ago when it was still cool here in Sydney, continuing on my quest to explore Leila Lindholm’s A Piece Of Cake some more, I decided to make the first thing that jumped out of the pages of the cookbook. As I flipped the pages the lavender biscuits caught my eye. I felt like doing purple.
It might seem odd, but sometimes I feel like doing a specific colour while cooking or baking. Maybe it reflects my own state of mind or mood at that time. Do you feel like that as well? For the most bit, I feel all brown and orange and rustic. Maybe that is why I like autumn so much. But that evening, I felt purple and the lavender cookies were a perfect match for my mood.
The massive lavender bush with purple spikes and bees buzzing in my backyard was perfect for the task at hand. After carefully hand picking the best spikes out there, I proceeded to gently pluck the indigo petals off the tops. Lavender petals are as delicate and tiny as they are beautiful and fragrant. After I had a decent amount for the cookies and the rest of the ingredients laid out, I did some quick photography of the preparation.
The biscuits baked beautifully, the sweet crunch spiked by a delicate lavender aftertaste made these to the top of my favourite cookie list. If you can get your hands on some fresh lavender, these are a must try!
Lavenders are pretty unusual and rare in baking. Before I moved to Sydney, I had never even seen a stalk of lavender in my life. But it is always very gratifying and curiosity-satisfying to use unusual ingredients in your cooking, especially if they happen to be pure and fresh from your garden. Have you guys used anything unique and unusual in your cooking lately? Drop me a line, I would love to know!
recipe
LAVENDER DREAM BISCUITS
Preparation Time – 20 minutes
Baking Time – 20 minutes
Makes – 20
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter, softened
90g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla sugar
150g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon fresh or dried lavender flowers
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2.
Beat the butter and sugar until pale and creamy. Grease and line a cookie sheet with baking paper.
Mix the dry ingredients with the lavender flowers and stir into the butter mixture to make a crumbly dough.
Shape small balls and put them on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake for approximately 15-20 minutes in the pre-heated oven. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
My Notes
The author shares a great tip for making super easy lavender sugar. Blend a tablespoon of fresh lavender flowers with caster sugar in a small glass jar. Cover with an airtight seal and store in a cool place in your pantry. After about a week, the fragrance of lavender would have infused the sugar which can then be used for baking or to sprinkle on top of caramelized fruit and vanilla ice cream.
They look so dainty – perfect with a cup of tea =) Still have my reservations about lavender in food, am yet to try it myself.
angie´s last [type] ..Its a macaron-athon! Oct – Nov 2010
Beautiful photos, they do look very dreamy. I’ve made a couple of things with lavender before and I think they can definitely be a lovely addition to some recipes.
leaf (the indolent cook)´s last [type] ..the snake pit lounge- fitzroy
These would be perfect for high tea, yum!
Kimberley´s last [type] ..The Shoe Box Cake Tutorial- Part Two How to make a gumpaste shoe
i kinda have issues with lavender but those biscuits look so soft and fluffy and buttery!
chocolatesuze´s last [type] ..Chinese New Year Markets- Belmore Park 17
The cookies look like a dream and must be smelling divine!
There must be lavender in the air! I haven’t tried it before but those biscuits look lovely and lavender seems to be popping up in a few recipes lately. I’ll have find some sprigs and get baking.
Georgia´s last [type] ..continually refreshed
Your photographs are so lovely! I must start cooking with lavender more often…
Megan @ FeastingonArt´s last [type] ..Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas – Cabbage-Wrapped Meatballs
I love the name of these biscuits. I feel relaxed and calm already! lol
Helen (grabyourfork)´s last [type] ..Silk Road Chinese Halal Restaurant- Haymarket
Your photos are so pretty – I love the contrasting white and purple colours – very unusual in cooking. lavender in food isn’t my cup of tea personally but it sure looks pretty!
Forager @ The Gourmet Forager´s last [type] ..Chinese New Year and a recipe for Zhaoqing diced pork and green mango
Mmm I do love lavender in food and these look so pretty!
These look wonderful!
anushruti´s last [type] ..Multi Lentil Multi Vegetable Stew-Sambar From The Kitchens Of Akshaya Patra
Those just look dreamy! We’d love for you to share your recipe at dishfolio.com!
Thnx Lacey! I just did
Hi Sneh,
Found your blog via Foodgawker.What lovely pictures and recipes there.
I love lavender.Gonna try out soon.Thanks for the recipe. Glad to have found you.
Tanvi´s last [type] ..Yellow Eyed Beans Curry
Thanks for your sweet comment Tanvi. Also glad you enjoyed my posts!
lavender biscuits is a new concept, haven’t heard of it before. I like those fresh petals, thanks for the images, makes me start cooking right away, however, i just don’t have a lavender bush in my backyard, it is uncommon in my country, but will still try to get one.
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[...] Levand? sausainiai Lavender Dream Biscuits [...]
Very aerial, and very dreamy photos indeed. The fact that lavender is sometimes used against insomnia adds a beautiful dimension to them. I’ve got lavender in my cupboard and have been tiptoing around it for a while now, not knowing what to do with it and my reservations as to the internal use of this plant. Might have to do some research! If you know where I could go for some info, please, give me a shout! Otherwise, am in love with these minimalist cookies.
Len (from the urban peasantry)´s last [type] ..Homemade autumn sub and rowan berries
[...] Cook Republic has the recipe, although in my version of the book Leila calls for [...]
Hi, I linked to your recipe.
I made Leila’s biscuits and they were simply delicious. I don’t own a food blog, more a nonsense bunny picture blog, so I think it’s more appropriate to give credit where credit is due and since you have delicious pictures and superb descriptions…thank you for this recipe.
Nice blog too
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