LILA’S LAVENDER LEMON BARS

A refreshing sweet and creamy lavender lemon bar with the perfect combination of flavors.  

Ingredients

Indulge in the exquisite delight of our refreshing sweet and creamy lavender lemon bar. This delectable treat is a harmonious blend of flavors, carefully crafted to transport your taste buds to a world of pure bliss.

Imagine the delicate aroma of lavender, dancing gracefully with the zesty tang of lemon. The velvety smoothness of the creamy filling is perfectly balanced by the crispness of the buttery crust, creating a symphony of textures that will leave you craving for more.

Each bite of our lavender lemon bar is a sensory journey, as the floral notes of lavender intertwine with the bright citrusy burst of lemon. Close your eyes and let the flavors transport you to a sun-kissed garden, where the gentle breeze carries the scent of blooming lavender fields.

Our lavender lemon bar is a testament to the artistry and craftsmanship that goes into creating the perfect dessert. Every ingredient is carefully selected and combined to create a harmonious balance of flavors, ensuring that each bite is a moment of pure indulgence.

Whether you savor it as a midday treat or serve it as the grand finale to a gourmet meal, our lavender lemon bar is sure to impress even the most discerning palates. It is a true masterpiece, a culinary work of art that embodies elegance and sophistication.

Experience the luxury of our lavender lemon bar today and let your taste buds embark on a journey of pure delight. It is a sweet symphony that will leave you longing for an encore.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.
3. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
4. In a small sauce pan simmer lemon juice with 1/2 cup lavender buds for 20 minutes. Remove, strain and let infused juice cool to room temperature. Make sure that the juice has cooled off significantly so that it does not pre-cook the eggs.
5. For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, cooled infused lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
6. Cut into squares and dust with lavender infused confectioners' sugar.  Garnish with lavender. I added some lemon chiffon bites for added color.

A variation from INA GARTEN

Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones

Indulge in the exquisite pleasure of Blackberry Lavender White Chocolate Scones, the epitome of Sunday morning luxury.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter grated on a box grater just like cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk + more for brushing
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blackberries
1 cup white chocolate chips

LAVENDER GLAZE
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons dried lavender or use 2 teaspoons for a less intense flavor
1 cup powdered sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter and toss with the flour. Add the egg, buttermilk and vanilla. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the blackberries and white chocolate chips.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface and then pat into 1-inch-thick square. Cut the dough into 2 inch squares. Place pieces, about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush each piece with buttermilk.

Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let the scones cool slightly and then drizzle with the lavender glaze (see below). Serve warm with butter.

LAVENDER GLAZE

Place the milk and butter in a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook until the milk is steaming, but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the lavender. Cover and steep 5 minutes. Strain the milk through a fine mesh strainer and discard the lavender. Stir in the the powdered sugar, adding water if needed to thin the glaze. Drizzle the glaze over each scone.

Lemon Lavender Custard

• 2   cups 

  fat-free milk
• 2   tablespoons 

  sugar or sugar substitute* equivalent to 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons 

  dried lavender buds or 2 sprigs fresh lemon thyme or thyme
• 3/4  cup 

  refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/3  cup 

  purchased lemon curd
• 1   teaspoon 

  vanilla
•  

  Fresh lavender, fresh lemon thyme or thyme sprigs, or edible flowers (optional)

Lila's Lavender Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) butter, at room temperature (no substitutes)
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons very finely chopped lavender florets (fresh or dried)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325°F.
Cover bottoms of two baking sheets with parchment or brown paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, lavender, and mint with an electric mixer. Mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt and beat until incorporated. Divide dough in half. Flatten into squares and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm.

On a floured board, roll or pat out each square to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 -inch squares or rounds. Transfer to baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Prick each cookie several times with a fork. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until pale golden (do not brown). Cool slightly, then transfer to a rack. Sprinkle with lavender powdered sugar.

Garnish with lavender powdered sugar: Put a 4 or 5 sprigs of lavender flowers in a sealed jar with powdered sugar for a day before using the sugar. Makes about 4 dozen

LAVENDER WINE JELLY

• 1/4 Cup dried Lavender Leaves
• 2 1/2 Cup Boiling Water
• 4 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 1/4 Cup White Wine
• A few drops of purple food color.
• 1/2 Bottle Liquid Pectin

Directions:

1. Sterilize jars - keep them hot. If using glasses, prepare paraffin. If using jars, prepare lids as manufacturer directs.
2. Pour boiling water over lavender and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain and measure 2 cups of this herb tea into saucepan. Stir in sugar, wine and coloring. Heat to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly. Pour in pectin and return to a boil. Boil hard for 1 minute stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.
3. Ladle through funnel into hot jars or glasses to 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe tops with a sterile cloth. Seal glasses with 1/8 inch layer of paraffin. If using jars, screw on tops.

LAVENDER SIMPLE SYRUP

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh or dried lavender blossoms

Directions:

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a large, stainless steel saucepan. Remove from heat and allow to steep 30 minutes.
2. Strain, chill and refrigerate, tightly covered. Use to sweeten hot or cold drinks. Delicious in ice tea or lemonade.

LAVENDER SHORTBREAD COOKIES

• 3 cups unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 6 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1 T. dried lavender buds

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift flour and salt. Add to butter mixture and stir until well incorporated. Add vanilla extract, lemon extract, and lavender buds. Form dough into logs roll in lavender colored sugar and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm. Slice dough into 1/2 thick slices. Lay cookie slices on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges are slightly golden.Sprinkle with lavender powdered sugar!

LAVENDER SCONES

• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 4 Tablespoon butter
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 2 Teaspoon fresh lavender florets or 1 Teaspoon dried culinary lavender roughly chopped
• About 2/3 Cup milk

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and lavender florets, reserving a pinch of lavender to sprinkle on the top of the scones before baking them.
2. Add enough milk to make a soft, sticky dough. Bind the mixture together and then turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface. Shape the dough into a circle, gently patting the top to give a 1inch depth. Using a floured cutter. Stamp out 12 scones. Place on a baking sheet.
3. Brush the tops with a little milk and sprinkle with the reserved lavender. Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. Serve warm, with plum jam and clotted cream.

LAVENDER PUNCH

• 1 cup water
• 1 (3 inch) cinnamon stick
• 1/2 tsp whole coves
• 3 TBS fresh lavender flowers OR
• 1 TBS dried lavender
• 1 (6 oz.) can frozen limeade
• concentrate
• 2 cups 100% Concord purple grape juice
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1 liter bottle seltzer or
• ginger ale, chilled

Directions:

1. In covered 1 quart saucepan, heat water, cinnamon, and cloves to boiling.
2. Simmer over low heat 5 minutes; remove from heat.
3. Add lavender flowers.
4. Cover and let stand 10 minutes to steep.
5. Strain the brew into a bowl and discard the particles.
6. Stir frozen limeade concentrate into the brew until melted and add grape juice.
7. Cover and refrigerate.
8. Just before serving, pour into large pitcher.
9. Add lime slices and ice.
10. Fill pitcher with seltzer and serve immediately.

Makes about 1 1/2 pints

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 heads pesticide-free lavender flowers
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Pesticide-free lavender flowers, for garnish

Raw Fig, Cherry, Lavender and Honey Cake
Fills a 7½ or 8 inch cake pan

Base:
2 cups macadamia nuts
1 cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup date paste
2 pinches Himalayan rock salt
½ teaspoon vanilla paste

• Process everything till a nice dough forms
• Pat firmly into the base of a 7½ inch cake pan lined with baking paper
• Set aside while you make the filling

Filling:
1½ cups cashews, soaked overnight
1½ cups young coconut meat (this will be about two coconut’s worth)
¾ cup nut milk
½ cup raw honey
½ cup coconut oil
Juice of one lemon (or ¼ cup)
1 tablespoon organic dried lavender
1 tablespoon vanilla paste
2 pinches Himalayan rock salt
2 tablespoons psyllium husk*
Additional water to assist the blending if needed (perhaps a few tablespoons)
1 cup red cherries, pitted
3 large plump, fresh figs

• Blend the cashews, coconut meat, milk, honey, coconut oil, lemon juice, lavender , salt and vanilla paste till smooth. You may like to do this in two batches, for ease of blending
• Now add the psyllium husk and blend again. Transfer to a large mixing bowl
• In a food processor, quickly blitz the cherries and figs, then fold this through the rest of the filling
• Pour the filling over the base of the cake and set in the freezer
• Transfer to the fridge to soften a little before serving.

 LAVENDER CHOCOLATE BITES

INGREDIENTS:

• 2/3 cup (5 fluid-ounce can) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender (use less if desired)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

LINE 8-inch-square baking pan with foil.

PLACE evaporated milk and lavender in medium, microwave-safe bowl. Heat on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute. Cover with plastic wrap; steep for 10 minutes. Strain into medium, heavy-duty saucepan; discard lavender. Add sugar, butter and salt to saucepan; bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

ADD marshmallows; stir vigorously until almost melted. Stir in morsels and vanilla extract until melted. Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm. Lift from pan; remove foil. Cut into 48 pieces.

LAVENDER CHAMOMILE MINT TEA WITH LEMON AND HONEY

• ½ cup dried lavender flowers
• ½ cup dried chamomile
• ½ cup dried peppermint leaves
• ½ cup dried nettle leaves
• 1 generous pinch ground cayenne pepper

• juice of 2 whole lemons
• ¼ cup honey dissolved in ½ cup warm water

1. Combine first 5 ingredients (lavender through cayenne pepper) in a large bowl. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

1. In a large kettle, boil 8 cups of water; remove from heat. Add 3 rounded tablespoons of tea to a tea ball and submerge in kettle. Allow to steep for at least 5 minutes. Use a spoon to press tea against the tea ball walls to extract extra flavor. Stir in lemon juice and honey mixture.
2. Allow to cool, transfer to pitcher and refrigerate.
3. Serve with or without ice. Enjoy!

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CREAMY LAVENDER VINAIGRETTE