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Holiday Lavender Goodies--
Perfect for Serving or Gift Giving!
Lavender Thumbprint Cookies
Zippy Lavender-Rosemary Honey-Roasted Nuts
Lavender-Ginger-Orange Biscotti
Whether you're looking for holiday goodies to serve at a party, or to indulge yourself, or to give as gifts, these treats are going to make you and yours very happy! (If you must go gluten-free. do try the very addictive roasted nuts!)
Don't forget that since lavender is a key ingredient, it's important to use high-quality dried culinary lavender buds. For the very best and freshest obtain yours online or on-site from a North American lavender farm. (If you didn't know, imported lavender is rarely ever the freshest, most flavorful option.)
I wish you a wonderful holiday and a happy, healthy New Year.
BIG NEWS: Take a sneak-peek at my pretty new 6-inch square little lavender gift book coming in late spring by scrolling down to the bottom of this post. Look for an email with a PDF peek inside the new book and sample recipe early in 2023.
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Lavender Thumbprints with Lemon Curd and Apricot Preserves
I've created dozens of cookie recipe over the years. This is one of my best ever! These boast a tender, buttery dough, and a puckery no-fuss (purchased) lemon curd and apricot preserves filling. They just sing with flavor and color and are likely to be inhaled.
Tip: Keep things simple and use a purchased lemon curd. The Bonne Maman brand found in many supermarkets is excellent, and some others are also very good.
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup homemade or purchased lavender sugar*
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon table salt
3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
3 1/3 cups all-purpose bleached or unbleached white flour
About 1/3 cup apricot preserves
1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds
About 2 1/2 tablespoons clear sparking sugar. for optional garnish
About 2/3 cup homemade or purchased lemon curd
In a large bowl with the mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter, lavender sugar, vanilla, almond extract (or lemon zest), and salt until very well blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time; stop and scrape down the bowl as needed, until well blended and smooth. Gradually beat in the flour to form a smooth, slightly soft dough. If the mixer motor labors, stir in the last of the flour by hand. Let the dough stand for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly grease several large low-rimmed baking sheets, or evenly spray with nonstick spray. Thoroughly stir together the apricot preserves and lavender buds in a 2-cup heatproof measure. Microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let the mixture stand and steep in the microwave for 10 minutes. Then stir the apricot-lavender mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a small cup and set aside to cool.
On a sheet of wax paper, divide the dough into quarters. Divide each quarter into 10 to 12 portions. Roll the portions into smooth balls, lightly dipping their tops into the crystal sugar (if using). Space, sugar-side up 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets. With a knuckle or thumb press a deep indentation into the center of each cookie. If the sides break apart, press and smooth them back into shape again.
One sheet at a time, bake the cookies (middle rack) for 10 minutes; remove from the oven. Fill indentations with a scant 1 teaspoon lemon curd. Add a scant 1/4 teaspoon apricot-lavender preserves to each. Bake cookies 9 to 11 minutes more, until they are baked through but are just barely tinged at the edges. Let stand to cool and firm up slightly.
Transfer to wire racks using a wide spatula; let stand until thoroughly cooled. Store airtight at cool room temperature in a single layer between wax paper sheets for up to 1 week. Or freeze, airtight, for up to 1 month. Makes 40 to 48 2- to 2 1/4-inch cookies.
*For homemade lavender sugar: Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender buds in a food processor and process for 3 to 4 minutes, until buds are ground fine. Put the mixture in a fine mesh sieve, then stir the mixture through the sieve into a bowl, discarding bits o budst. Thoroughly stir another 1/2 cup granulated sugar into the bowl. Use the sugar promptly or cover tightly and keep in a cool spot. The sugar recipe may be doubled or tripled, if desired.
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Zippy Lavender-Rosemary Honey Roasted Nuts
The unexpectedly complex salty-hot-sweet-herbal flavor and crunchiness of these nuts packs a sensory punch that most munchers find addictive. Serve the nuts with drinks, perhaps as part of a charcuterie board, or package them nicely and give as a gift.
The zip comes from chipotle chili powder, which you can adjust to suit yourself. I suggest starting with adding a little into the honey mixture, and then cranking up the heat, to taste, by stirring in more chipotle powder as the batch comes from the oven. In a pinch, sub some smoked paprika and cayenne pepper for the chipotle powder.
Tip: The recipe yields about 3 cups, but if you use two roasting pans, it’s a simple matter to prepare a double batch. (Which you will find is good idea as one is rarely enough!)
1/3 cup clover honey or other mild honey
1 tablespoon safflower, sunflower or other vegetable oil
2 teaspoons each dried culinary lavender buds and chopped dried rosemary leaves
1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, to taste
3 cups (about 12 ounces) raw pecan or walnut halves, or skinned whole hazelnuts or almonds, or a mix of these
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt, to taste
3 to 4 teaspoons red or clear coarse sparkling crystal sugar for garnish, optional
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick coating.
Thoroughly stir together the honey, oil, lavender, rosemary and chipotle powder in a 2-cup heat-proof glass measure. Watching carefully, microwave on 100 percent power for 30 to 50 seconds; stop microwaving immediately when the honey begins to bubble. Let the mixture stand and steep in the microwave for 10 minutes.
Strain the honey mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl large enough to hold the nuts. (If the honey has stiffened, microwave for about 10 seconds until runny again.) Immediately thoroughly stir in the nuts and salt until completely coated with the honey mixture.
Spread out the nuts and any leftover honey in a thin layer on the baking sheet. Roast (middle rack) for 10 minutes, then stir well. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes longer, then stir again. If the nuts are well browned, they are done. If necessary, stir and then, watching carefully, roast the nuts for 5 minutes longer; be careful not to burn them.
While the nuts are still hot from the oven, if desired, garnish with a little more coarse crystal salt and chipotle powder for flavor, and coarse crystal sugar for sparkle and color. Stir and let the nuts stand to completely cool. Then separate them with forks. Store airtight at cool room temperature for up to a week, or refrigerate for up to a month. Bring to room temperature before serving. Makes a generous 3 cups (3/4 pound) roasted nuts.
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Ginger-Lavender-Orange Biscotti with Cranberries
I've mentioned before that lavender is a delightful enhancer in gingerbread-type spice blends, and this recipe proves the point. The intriguing scent of ginger, lavender, allspice and orange wafting up during baking is the first sign they'll be tempting. Then, on first bite you'll also notice the complex, pleasantly spicy taste and toothsome chewy-crispness. These are fab served with tea.
For another delish lavender-spice cookie, try the snickerdoodles at https://nancyslavenderplace.com/lavender-honey-spice-snickerdoodles/
Tip: Decorating the biscotti with either red-tinted or white powdered sugar icing is entirely optional, but a nice holiday touch. Scroll to the recipe bottom for the icing instructions. 3/4 cup granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Finely grated zest of 1 very large orange (orange part of the skin)
1 tablespoon each ground ginger and finely chopped or crushed dried culinary lavender buds
2 teaspoons finely grated peeled fresh gingerroot
1 teaspoon each ground allspice and baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups dried sweetened cranberries
2 1/2 cups unbleached or bleached all-purpose white flour
Optional powdered sugar icing for decorating
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a very large baking sheet with baking parchment.
In a large mixer bowl, beat together the sugar, butter, orange zest, ginger, lavender, gingerroot, allspice, baking powder, extract, and salt until very well blended. One at a time, vigorously stir in the eggs, then the cranberries until thoroughly incorporated. Gradually beat in flour until well blended; if necessary stir in the last of it. Let stand to firm up for 10 minutes.
Divide the dough in half. Working on sheets of wax paper with well-buttered hands, shape each portion into a 2- by 12-inch long evenly-thick log. Roll the logs onto the baking sheet, spacing then well apart. Smooth and reshape the logs as needed as shown: https://www.instagram.com/p/Clb8S2SjMTN/?hl=en.
Bake (middle rack) for 25 to 30 minutes until a toothpick tested in the center comes out clean. Set aside on a wire rack until cooled. On a cutting board, using a sawing motion, cut each log on a slight diagonal into generous 1/4-inch thick slices using a large, serrated knife; see video https://www.facebook.com/nancy.baggett/videos/3349900765254323 Lay the slices flat, slightly separated, on a baking sheet. Meanwhile, reheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Bake the slices until lightly toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn over; watching closely, toast 7 to 10 minutes longer till just barely tinged. Remove to racks; cool completely. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 10 days; freeze up to 2 months for longer storage. Makes about 35 to 3- to 4- inch biscotti slices.
For the optional icing: In a small deep bowl thoroughly stir together 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, drops of botanical or artificial food coloring if desired, and enough water to yield piping consistency. Pipe the icing using a small plastic bag with one corner snipped off. Pipe the glaze in random drizzling or zig-zagging very fine lines over the slices. Let the biscotti stand until the glaze complexly set, about 30 minutes.
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Don't forget! The Art of Cooking with Lavender has over 70 beautiful photos as well as 80 well-tested recipes. Still available at www.nancyslavenderplace.com.
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My Let's Cook with Lavender recipe sampler is also still on sale on my site. Perfect for bundling with a package of culinary lavender.
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My new little gift book, Best-Loved Lavender Recipes, will be available in late spring. I'll be sending you an e-mail with a peek at the interior and a sample recipe from the book in the New Year. A perfect addition to any lavender gift shop!
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