LAVENDER SUGAR AND COOKIES

LAVENDER SUGAR
I know what you’re thinking – lavender smells like old ladies (not that there’s anything wrong with old ladies!). But I promise you lavender sugar tastes just great when used to make cakes and biscuits, and makes a fantastic alternative to vanilla sugar. What’s more, the main ingredient is free if you happen to have any lavender growing in your garden nearby.
Lavender sugar is delicious used in cupcakes and similar, or can be sprinkled sparingly onto shortbread for a fantastic and different flavour.

1 kg Caster / Granulated Sugar
3 tbsp lavender flowers

Use a fork to remove the fresh lavender flowers / buds from the stem
Mix together with the sugar
Empty into jars
A couple of weeks later, you can sift the sugar to remove the lavender flowers – the sugar will by now have taken on the flavour and smell.
Quick notes
This sugar will last for months just like any other sugar, so makes a great and pretty present for many occasions.

LAVENDER SUGAR SHORTBREAD COOKIES
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup lavender sugar
1/4 cup sugar
14 tablespoons (1-3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons light cream or whole milk
1 teaspoon rose water or vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, thoroughly stir together the flour and sugars. Using forks, a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is the consistency of a coarse corn meal. In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolk, cream, rose water, and salt until well blended and smooth. Stir, then knead, the egg yolk mixture into the flour mixture until evenly incorporated.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each portion between sheets of waxed paper, until 1/4″ thick. Stack the rolled portions, paper still attached, on a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or freeze for about 15 minutes to speed the chill.

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Grease several baking sheets.

Working with 1 portion at a time, and leaving the remaining dough chilled, gently peel away the top sheet. Using a roughly 2″ shape, cut out the cookies. Use a spatula, if necessary to transfer the cookies to the baking sheet, about 1-1/4 inches apart. Reroll any dough scraps.

Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, in the middle third of the oven for 9-13 minutes, or until just lightly browned at the edges. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack. Cool completely.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.

Yield: 30-40 cookies
HELPFUL HINTS
If at any point the dough softens too much to handle easily, transfer the paper and dough to the refrigerator or freezer.