Lavender Recipes

Here are a few Lavender recipes to try regardless if you are a beginner or a Lavender aficionado! Tasty and easy to make. Please use organically grown, non-sprayed "Sweet" Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) for best results. "Hidcote" Lavender will give you the best colour for any infusions eg. syrups, jelly or vinegars.

My favourite Lavender-Lemon Verbena Cake
A celebration cake for 2010
Lynda’s Lavender-Lemon Curd
Lavender Three Layer Sweet Torte
Lavender Limoncello Cookies
Fresh Lavender Ice Cream
Lavender Harvest Fudge
Lavender Shortbread
Lavender Herbal Jelly
Lavender Lemonade

See Lynda's article on edible flowers ~ "Eating Lavender & Beyond!"

Want more Lavender cooking recipes? Lavender Recipe Links

My favourite Lavender-Lemon Verbena Cake

*Makes 2 dozen muffins/cupcakes or one bundt cake or a lovely 2 layer cake special enough for a birthday cake with fresh fruit!

Basic Batter:

• 2½ cups cake flour
• 3½ tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 TBSP fresh, finely chopped Lemon Verbena leaves
• 2 TBSP fresh Lavender flowers
• 2/3 cup butter
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup apple juice
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp lemon extract OR 1 TBSP real lemon juice
• zest of one lemon

Cream butter & sugar & herbs
Blend dry ingredients & add to sugar & butter
Whip juice, milk, eggs & extract
Add to dry ingredients
Mix well until batter really smooth
Preheat oven to 350F
…Choose your pans & prep with butter & dusting of flour or use cupcake papers…
Bake 25 minutes for muffins, approx 30 minutes for layer cake, 35 minutes for tube cake. Test cake center.

**For special occasions: mix a batch of cooled Lemon curd & a cup of stiffly whipped whipping cream together and use as the filling & icing. Add fresh fruit as wished...berries best!

Lynda’s Lavender-Lemon Curd

• 1/2 cup of real butter
• 1¼ cup white sugar
• 2 lemons, rind & juice up to 1/2 cup
• 4 well beaten eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1 TBSP dried lavender flowers or 3 TBSP fresh

Use a double boiler; bring water underneath to a boil then lower to simmer.
Place butter & sugar first in the top pot to melt together, and then add the rest of the ingredients.
Whisk gently until smooth and thickened.
Pour through a sieve over a heat proof bowl then spoon into two clean jam jars and cool. Keep refrigerated…about a week if you are lucky!

Meanwhile…to make my Granny’s fluffy scones!

• 2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 2 tsp cream of tartar + 1 tsp soda
  (OR 3 tsp baking powder)
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten*
  (*No eggs…use 2 TBSP plain good yogurt)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup currants optional

Blend butter into dry ingredients.
Mix eggs & milk with a fork.
Make a "well" in the dry ingredients & mix lightly.
Turn out onto floured board.
Handle gently, barely knead.
Roll until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes; a simple drinking glass will do, flour the rim, and twist as you cut to release scone.
Bake @ 400 F (200C) for 10 minutes. Serve warm!

EXTRA: Celebration time coming up?
Mix one cup of this lovely Lavender-Lemon Curd with one cup of stiffly whipped cream & use this for the filling or icing on a cake, garnish with fresh berries!

Lavender Three Layer Sweet Torte

Makes one 9 inch cake for 8-12

Torte

• 1/3 cup melted butter plus 2 TBSP cut into pieces for topping*
• 3/4 cup brown sugar plus 2 TBSP for topping**
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 TBSP Lavender flowers, 3 TBSP if using fresh
• 1 1/3 cups white flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

Toppings

• 4 apples cut into wedge style medium thick slices
• 1 cup black berries/or dried sweet cranberries or 6 pieces crystallized ginger minced
• 1/4 cup walnuts optional
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Custard

Preheat oven to 375F
Only just melt the 1/3 cup butter in a medium sauce pan; cool slightly then whisk in the sugar, milk, eggs, vanilla extract and Lavender flowers.
In a blender; briefly pulse the flour, baking powder & salt together then, pour in butter mix and process until smooth.
Butter a 9-inch spring form pan, then coat inside with white sugar instead of flour.
Pour batter evenly into pan.
Arrange apple slices in a pattern, sprinkle with berries & place nuts in gaps. Press slightly into batter. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon, brown sugar** & extra butter bits*.
Bake 55 minutes, checking center.
Meanwhile…an easy way to make homemade custard is to use Bird’s Eye custard powder: 3 TBSP powder, 3 TBSP sugar & 2 1/2 cups of milk. Whisk together while cold then cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to not scorch the bottom.
Cool cake slightly in ring before pouring custard on the whole cake & chill in ring to set custard on top for an all-in-one dessert OR remove sides when cake is cooled, serve sliced cake on individual plates with warm custard poured on top….mmmmmm.
Be playful with the fruit/nut/spiced toppings!

Lavender Limoncello Cookies

…a taste of golden, lemony Summer!

• ½ cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 Tbsp. dried Lavender flowers
• 2 Lemons, zest & juice
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. Limoncello liqueur
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups + white flour

Set oven @ 350° F.
Blend butter, sugar & Lavender.
Add in lemon zest & juice then the egg & Limoncello.
Blend in the 2 cups flour & the baking powder next.
Dough should be soft but not oily.
Add more flour by the TBSP if needed.
Roll into 2 logs in wax paper. Chill 20 minutes.
Slice into ½ inch thick rounds, makes approx 30-36.
Bake 10-15 minutes max, “bottoms” pale gold.

Fresh Lavender Ice Cream

• 2 1/2 cups of milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 cups light cream
• 1/4 tsp. salt 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 handful fresh Lavender angustifolia flowers*

*The deeper the colour of your Lavender flowers, the more colour your ice cream will have. I use our deepest coloured "Hidcote " Sweet Lavender. Pick when just freshly opening, not older over bloom for the freshest taste.

1. Gently heat the milk and fresh Lavender together. Do not boil.
2. Strain out the Lavender & stir in the salt & sugar while still hot.
3. Stir in vanilla extract & cream.
4. Chill immediately, minimum 2 hours.
5. Churn or process as your ice cream maker directs, then skip to step #8.
   OR by hand follow steps #6 & #7~
6. Pour mixture into a stainless steel bowl and place in your freezer.
7. Every 15 minutes, whisk or beat until icy or thickened.
8. In the last few minutes or just before you remove from the ice cream maker: sprinkle in a few fresh florets of Lavender! Fresh raspberries an option or Lemon peel zest.

PS: Dried angustifolia Sweet Lavender can be used, try 3 Tbsp. and add when milk is already heated, time 5 minutes, strain immediately. Then follow as above. Over steeping with dried Lavender makes the taste bitter & the colour grey. If you like a stronger Lavender flavour, use 4-5 Tbsp. dried Sweet Lavender.

Lavender Harvest Fudge

• 2 cups (12 oz.) good chocolate chips (for special occasions use Belgian chocolate!)
• 1 tin (300 ml) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 Tbsp. dried Lavender flowers (3 Tbsp. fresh)
  - measure, then grind finely, use a clean coffee grinder

Melt everything together in a double boiler. Add 3 tbsp. butter. Stir until smooth and melted.

Pour into a pan lined with wax paper (approximately 9" x 9"). Cover with Saran Wrap. Chill overnight.

Cut into 1" squares. Wrap like "sweets" in twists of wax paper. Decorate with a sticker smiley face!

*Recipe can be doubled, use 9" x 12" pan. Stripe it using white chocolate for top layer and dark for the bottom.

**Optional: Sprinkle fresh Lavender on top layer to decorate!

Lavender Shortbread

• 3 Tbsp. fresh organic Lavender flowers
  OR 1 1/2 Tbsp. dried organic Lavender flowers
• 1 cup butter
• 1/4 cup (scant) cornstarch
• 1/2 cup icing sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp. Lavender "Tea"*
  (extra Lavender or substitute: see footnote)

Set oven at 325° F.

Use food processor to blend chilled butter (not room temperature) plus Lavender flowers, icing sugar & cornstarch. Add half the flour amount and Lavender tea*. Pulse gently until roughly cut into a “crumbly” texture. Blend in remainder of flour until it “balls” into a smooth dough. Roll in a wax paper log like frozen cookie dough. CHILL 30 MINUTES.

Cut into 1/2 inch rings, bake on ungreased cookie sheet until just golden on the bottom. Aprox 20 minutes. Cool before handling. Makes aprox 30. Store in tight tin.

* Lavender Tea
Use 4 teaspoons of fresh Lavender or 1 Tbsp. dried. Place in a mug & pour 1/4 cup of boiling water over the Lavender. Use a saucer as a lid & steep 5 minutes. Stain & measure tea as a flavour booster, drink remainder as you wait for cookies!
Can substitute 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice or 1 tsp. vanilla extract.

PS Dough can be frozen. (This way you can make the dough rolls in fresh season & bake for Christmas!) Please ~ thaw before slicing so dough does not crack.

Lavender Herbal Jelly

Most of us have tasted mint jelly not realizing that it is a herbal jelly. Mint is just one option from the rainbow of herb jellies to explore for their variety of tastes and colours too! I love offering a taste of my first favourite, rosemary jelly, made with an orange juice base. Rose petal jelly creates a sparkling rose color (substitute petals from 12 roses and 2 sprigs of rose scented geraniums instead of the lavender in the recipe below). Or how about a raspberry coloured clove dianthus jelly?...pale honey coloured lemon verbena...spicy deep purple coloured opal basil...soft mauve violet jelly! These visual and tasty delights are easy to make too! If you can make a pot of herb tea you can make herbal jellies.. From a basic herb infusion you add sugar,pectin and a dash of acidlike lemonjuice or whitewine vinegar to help draw the colours. Food colouring is optional but not necessary.

• 1 1/2 cups fresh lavender flowers
• 3 1/4 cups water
• 1 box powdered 'certo'
• 4 cups white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1. To begin, sterilze 5 x 1c jelly jars, rings and seals, and find a medium to large sized pot.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a pot, place in the lavender, and cover with a lid.
3. Lower heat to simmer for 5 min, then remove from heat. Don't peek! Steep for at least 20 mins or preferably overnight.
4. Strain and mesure 3 cups of the lavender brew and place in deep jelly making pot.
5. Whisk in pectin crystals and vinegar, bring to a boil, and whisk in sugar.
6. Keep pot boiling until it is at a rolling boil that can't be stirred down (about 1 min.)
7. Remove from heat, and let sit for 5 min. Skim the top if necessary.
8. Quickly bottle and seal before it jellifies. Let the jelly age 1 month for best results.

Hint: Don't give them all away!
Recipe from Herbal Adventures by Lynda Dowling

Lavender Lemonade

Hidcote lavender turns lemonade rosy pink. Other varieties turn it a paler color. Avoid piney-smelling lavenders, such as spike. For that extra touch, garnish lemonade with fresh lavender sprigs. Makes: 6 cups

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (a generous handful) fresh or 1 tablespoon dried lavender blooms stripped from stems
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
• Ice cubes
• Lavender sprigs for garnish

1. Combine sugar with 2 1/2 cups water in a medium pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
2. Add the lavender blooms to the sugar water, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand at least 20 minutes (and up to several hours).
3. Strain mixture and discard lavender. Pour infusion into a glass pitcher. Add lemon juice and another 2 1/2 cups water. Stir well and watch lemonade change color.
4. Pour into tall glasses half-filled with ice or refrigerate until ready to use.

Lavender Cooking Links (will open in a new window)

• Cooking with Lavender
• Lavender Lovers Recipes