Lavender

2 Cups of granulated sugar

2 Cups water

2 to 2 1/2 Tablespoons of Hidcote Lavender buds

• Stir sugar and water together in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
• Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally and adjust the heat until it simmers approximately 4 minutes to dissolve sugar.
• Stir in the lavender buds
• Remove from heat and let stand (covered) so the lavender can fully infuse the syrup from 1 hour to 6 hours, tasting occasionally until desired flavour is reached. 
• Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean saucepan.
• Bring to a boil for one minute.
• Pour into a sterilized bottle or jar.
• Let it cool and then re-fridgerate.
• Makes 2 Cups of syrup
• Shelf life: 3 months

 2 Cups granulated sugar, divided

2 Tablespoons of Hidcote Lavender buds

• In a food processor of spice grinder, grind 1/2 cup of sugar and the lavender for 4 to 5 minutes until finely ground OR 20 seconds in a spice grinder.
• Push the ground sugar mixture through a fine mesh sieve, discard larger lavender parts or save for other uses.
• Stir the sieved lavender sugar into the remaining sugar until throughly mixed.
• Store in a cool spot in an airtight container
• Makes 2 cups
• Shelf life: 4 to 5 months

Preheat oven to 400F

2 Cups all purpose flour

1/4 Cup granulated sugar

2 Teaspoons baking powder

1/2 Teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 Cup unsalted butter frozen

1 Cup blackberries 

1/2 Cup buttermilk 

4 to 6 teaspoons of Hidcote Lavender buds chopped finely

2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

• Place buttermilk and lavender in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer. 
• Remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl.
• Grate the cold butter using a cheese grater or cut into little cubes. 
• Blend the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two knives. The mixture should look like course crumbs.
• Mix in blackberries.
• Mix the lavender infused buttermilk and vanilla in a small measuring cup; mix this into the flour mixture until just mixed in - do not over mix as this makes the scones heavy or too dense.
• Put a small amount of flour onto a clean surface and knead the dough briefly.
• Shape into a circle about 1 inch thick.
• Cut the circle in half, then each half into 4 wedges for eight in total.
• Place these on a pan with parchment paper; brush the tops with milk and bake for 20 to 22 minutes until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack. 

Note: We used the Cusinart ICE-30C Series frozen yogurt-sorbet and ice cream maker to make this recipe 

Ingredients

3 cups 750 ml fresh blackberries 

4 tablespoons 60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 cup 375 ml sugar (divided)

1 1/4 cups 300 ml whole milk or Oat milk

2 3/4 cups 680 ml heavy cream

4 to 6 teaspoons (finely chopped) lavender buds

In a small bowl, combine fruit with lemon juice and 1/2 cup 125 ml of the sugar 

• Stir gently and allow the fruit to macerate for 2 hours
• Strain berries and reserve the juice.
• Mash or puree half the berries
• In a medium mixing bowl combine the milk and remaining sugar use a hand mixer until the sugar is dissolved - about 1 to 2 minutes.
• Stir in heavy cream, reserved berry juice, mashed fruit and lavender
• Turn machine on place plastic stirrer in
• Pour mixture into freezer bowl and mix for 20 to 25 minutes
• 5 minutes before mixing is completed add reserved fruit and let mix in completely 
• The ice cream will have a soft creamy texture
• Transfer mixture to airtight container and freeze for 2 hours
• Remove from freezer 15 minutes before serving
• Alternate fruit such as raspberries, strawberries and blueberries or a combination with rhubarb (cooked) can be used as long as the amount of fruit used is the same as above.
• Yield: 7 cups

Heat oven to 300 degrees F

13 Tablespoons of slightly soft but still cool unsalted butter - cut into small chunks

1/2 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon of lavender sugar (or plain sugar with 3 to 5 Teaspoons of Lavender finely chopped)

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract

A pinch (1/4 Teaspoon) Salt

2 Cups flour

• Place the oven rack in the middle for even heating
• Place butter, lavender sugar/sugar, vanilla, chopped lavender and salt in a mixing bowl. 
• Beat on medium speed or manually mix until mixed well but before the butter gets too fluffy
• add the flour and mix manually in the bowl 
• Continue to knead the dough in the bowl until it is well mixed and keeping together 
• Add some water if the mixture is too dry; if too soft add s2 to 3 teaspoons of flour.
• Place the dough on  parchment paper on your counter; place another parchment sheet on top
•  Roll out the dough between the parchment sheets to about 1/4 inch thickness so it is roughly the same thickness overall
• Place the dough on a baking sheet and refridgerate for 15 to 20 minutes if your kitchen is very warm; if the dough is firm, proceed and cut out your desired shapes and lift onto parchment lined baking sheet(s)
• Spacing: 1 inch apart
• Bake the cookies until they are light brown (approximately 15 to 25 minutes depending on your oven)
• Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack after letting cool down for a few minutes.
• Store in an airtight container; or keep in fridge up to three days. Can be frozen for up to two weeks.
• Makes approximately 30 to 40 cookies depending on size 

Beautiful purple colour. Unique floral flavour with undertones of mint and citrus. 

6 Cups of water 

1/2  Cup of sugar

3 to 4 Tablespoons of dried Lavender

2 Cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice

Combine 2 cups of water and the sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat, add lavender and steep 2 hrs. Strain and add remaining water and lemon juice. Serve over ice.