Lavender Shortbreads
Adapted from High Tea at the Victoria Room
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260g or 8oz or 1 1/4 cup butter, cold and cut into cubes
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125g or 4oz or 1/2 cup castor sugar
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250g or 8oz or 2 cups plain flour, sifted with
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125g or 4 oz or 1 cup rice flour sifted with the flour above
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2-3 drops lavender oil
Topping
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40g or 1.5 oz or 1/4 cup castor sugar
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2 dried lavender flowers
You will also need a cookie cutter.
**Buyer's tip: Use lavender that has not been sprayed with chemicals. You can buy dried edible lavender and lavender oil at The Essential Ingredient or from suppliers of culinary lavender.
Makes 24 shortbread depending on shape
Step 1 - Preheat the oven to 160C/310F. Grease and line 2 baking trays. Cream together the butter, sugar and lavender oil until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer. On the lowest setting or with a spatula, work in the flours. Do not overmix. Add a teaspoon or two more milk if you need the mix to come together.
Step 2 - Roll out to 1cm thick between two sheets of baking paper. Cut into whichever cookie cutter you like and prick all over with a fork. I trimmed the edges of the shape too to get a clean outline. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before baking for 10-12 minutes until light yellow but not quite golden.
Step 3 - While biscuits are baking, process the sugar and dried lavender flowers until ground and fine. Once biscuits are done, remove from the oven and sprinkle with ground sugar and lavender. Cool completely before removing from baking sheet.