One of the most popular items in our lovely Sprigs Café is our delicious lavender shortbread – practically perfect dunked into a cup of fine tea. And this scrumptious treat is a favourite on many famous tea tables too. The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, reportedly relied on lavender shortbread to ease nausea and to fulfil some of those pregnancy cravings and the nation’s favourite grand dame of baking, Mary Berry, is also a fan (see her recipe below).
Not only does the lovely flavour of lavender make a wonderful shortbread, but the amazing healing powers of lavender can also make it as much of a medicine as a delicious tea time treat. Lavender can help to ease the symptoms of tension headaches, create feelings of calmness and serenity and help to promote a restful night’s sleep, due to its effect of slowing down the body’s central nervous system. So that’s an excuse to have another one if ever we heard one – doctor’s orders!
There are several options if you wish to enjoy both the benefits and delightful flavour of lavender in yummy biscuit form. The first and simplest option is to simply add a sprinkle of our dried culinary lavender to your favourite shortbread recipe (but remember that with lavender less is often more!). Or you could follow the famous Mrs Berry’s recipe below:
1. Beat 75g butter with 2 tablespoons of fresh lavender flowers, or 2 teaspoons of dried culinary lavender, until the butter is very soft, and the room is full of the scent of lavender.
2. Beat in 100g caster sugar until the mixture is pale and creamy.
3. Gently blend in 225g of plain flour, making sure not to overwork the mixture, or you will end up with a tough shortbread.
4. Roll the mixture into 2 fat sausage shapes and roll each in demerara sugar until coated. Chill each sausage, wrapped in cling film, for a minimum of 30 minutes and then slice each into approximately 10 rounds.
5. Bake the shortbread in a preheated oven at 160℃ for 15–20 minutes until light golden brown.
Or finally for those who suffer from either that can’t cook or won’t cook affliction, then we have come up with a lovely little cheat for you! Why not click yourself a packet of our lavender shortbread mix – simply empty the packet into a bowl, blend in 200g of softened butter and form into whatever shape you fancy (we currently love hearts). Then simply pass them off as your own and we promise not to tell anyone!
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