In England we have lots of different types of biscuits they are kind of like our versions of cookies, to us cookies are just the chocolate chip kind! I used to love bon bons, sports biscuits and couldn’t get enough of custard creams! I guess its a good job I am no longer at home!!
My favorite breakfast as a kid was tea and biscuits which I would be allowed now and again or if we slept in! So these are my grown up version of tea and biscuits. I’m not actually a big fan of chewy chocolate chip cookies which my friends in Canada find baffling but it’s what you grow up with that sticks with you.
So for me these biscuits are perfect, they are like a light short bread, creamy and not too sweet. The lavender and lemon add a really nice delicate flavor, they would be perfect with a cup of light green tea.
I have been drying my mums lavender from the garden and using it in lots of ways, these cookies, I also made some lavender and chamomile tea and I put some in a heat pad. I just love the stuff!
I think lavender adds an elegance to desserts but be careful not to overdo it as it can overwhelm it with its perfume, the lemon compliments it.
I also made my version of jammy dodgers, I placed a fresh raspberry in the middle which turns into a light jam while it cooks. Chris loved these ones, the filling is sweet and a little tart at the same time!
These make a lovey summer treat you can enjoy with a nice cup of english breakfast in the garden or straight out of the oven like we did!! You can really try any combination you like, chocolate chips, cranberries I also made some with a drop of maple syrup and walnuts.
What are some of your favorite cookies/biscuits?
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup of cold cubed earth balance buttery sticks
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 1/4 cups of this basic light flour blend (1 1/4 cups of brown rice flour, 1 3/4 cups of white rice flour, 3/4 cup of potato starch and 1 cup of tapioca starch. That will give you 4 3/4 cups and can be used for cookies, muffins etc)
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons of lemon extract
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon of grated lemon rind
- 1 table-spoon of dried lavender
- 12 Fresh raspberries
Flour recipe from The Culinary Institute of America
Directions
Blend your lavender and lemon rind until it is a fine powder. In a bowl combine all of the other ingredients by hand, it is very sticky so dust your hands with some extra flour if you need to. When a dough is formed slice in half and add your powdered lavender to one batch, throughly combine. Wrap each dough ball in plastic and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Preheat your oven to 350° and line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper, remove your dough balls from the fridge. For the lavender cookies simply scoop out cookies using a tablespoon or small ice cream scoop and flatten with a flour dusted hand, place them about 2″ apart and bake for 15 mins or until golden brown.
For the raspberry pockets do the same again with the plain dough then place a raspberry in the centre of your cookies. Flatten a second dough ball and carefully place over the top of the raspberry, press the edges down to on seal the cookies together but do not press down on the raspberry. Bake for approx 10 mins or until the edges are lightly golden.
The Little Spoon Kitchen 