On lavender sugar

As snow has fallen here in the south-east of England, I’ve been deep in the lavender fields of Provence as I work away at my novella. The first draft is nearly there but I’ve been breaking the days of intense concentration with walks out into the countryside beyond my window. The other day there was a granular quality to the snow, and so studded with tiny bits of leaf matter it was like stepping into lavender sugar.

The moment made me think of how perfect lavender biscuits can be with a cup of tea.  Here’s a very simple recipe, though if you find the taste of lavender too strong you could use sugar that has been stored in a sealed jar with sprays of lavender rather than the chopped flowers.

65 g caster sugar

175g butter

4 tablespoons icing sugar

1 handful finely chopped lavender, fresh or dried

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

160g plain flour

35g cornflour

Pinch of salt

Cream together the butter, caster sugar and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the lavender and lemon zest. Combine the flour, cornflour and salt before adding to the butter and sugar mixture. Blend well until you have a smooth dough. Roll the dough into a ball, cover with cling film and refrigerate for an hour. Heat the oven to 170 C / Gas mark 3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough out to about half an inch in thickness. Cut into shapes and place on baking trays. Bake for about 20 minutes or until biscuits just begin to brown at the edges.

If that’s whetted your appetite, here’s a delicious-sounding recipe for lavender and mint shortbread cookies from Woody Creek Lavender Farm in the USA:

Lavender and Mint shortbread cookies

It sounds an idyllic place. “Our family lives simply and happily on our 27-acre farm east of Ceresco, Nebraska,’ writes Shawni Vincent Cook. ‘We have never felt so at home, so content and fulfilled as we do right now. I am rustling up the genes that have been calmly waiting their turn to dominate my life…given by both my grandmothers – they had no problem sewing an outfit at the last minute, canning an entire garden with a smile, or renovating a room in the house like it was just an average day.”

What is it about lavender farms that haunt the imagination, the very thought of which gives a sense of ease and contentment? I think it’s the way the senses seem to conjure up the fragrance at the very mention of the word.