Lemon Basil Snaps
(Use only fresh basil in this recipe)
¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup minced fresh basil or lemon basil
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup chopped pistachio nuts
3 Tablespoons sugar
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and next 3 ingredients, beating until blended. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Combine nuts and sugar in a shallow bowl. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in nut mixture and place 2 inches apart on un-greased baking sheets. Flatten slightly with hands or bottom of a glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
Lavender Sugar Cookies
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons lavender flowers, crushed or ground in food processer
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla, and lavender flowers. Sift flour and baking powder together and add to butter mixture. Drop teaspoonfuls of batter on un-greased cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes just until edges brown. Remove to racks to cool.
Lavender Ice Cream
(This recipe is for a tabletop ice cream freezer.)
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon lavender flowers
2 egg yolks
½ cups sugar
Place lavender flowers in a diffuser ball or in triple thickness cheesecloth bag. Combine cream and milk in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Place lavender into milk and heat until mixture almost boils, 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and remove and discard lavender. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl until light yellow and smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Add 4-5 tablespoons of the hot mixture into the eggs and stir until combined. Add egg mixture back to hot milk, stirring continuously to keep eggs from curdling. Cook over low heat 3-4 minutes until thickened and mixture coats the back of a spoon.
Cool mixture in an ice water bath, stirring constantly. Chill in refrigerator for at least 1 hour before placing in ice cream freezer. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.
Lavender Lemonade
In a 2 quart pyrex measuring bowl, place 8 cups of water and 7 heaping tablespoons of lavender flowers. Boil 24 minutes in microwave; let steep for 2-3 hours. Strain lavender water and use to make your favorite lemonade recipe. For, convenience this also works well with Country Time Lemonade mix.
Lavender Lemon Bars
and all this time I thought lavender was just a scent! These are great!