Lavender Brownies

At this point I'd say it's pretty obvious I'm lavender obsessed. Lavender cookies, lavender lemonade, lavender cupcakes, I've made this lavender granola before, lemon lavender pound cake, I've put lavender in my smoothies, the list really goes on. To keep the merriment going, today I bring you Lavender Brownies! 

I honestly found this recipe while searching for a recipe for lavender honey ice cream. I told you I was obsessed. I had all the plans in the world to make some lavender ice cream but these brownies intruded. No worries, ice cream to come!

To get the lavender into the brownies you pulse the sugar and lavender buds together in a food processor (perfect way to break in my new Cuisinart I got for my birthday, I'm so weird). This is the same method as used in these cookies. During my baking spree last Friday I apparently turned into this flavored sugar making machine. See below my lavender sugar and grapefruit sugar. Speaking of did you catch yesterday's Grapefruit White Chocolate Brown Butter cookies?

Butter and chocolate are melted together with the addition of the sugar, flour, eggs, vanilla and cinnamon. Don't worry these brownies don't taste like a flower or anything. The lavender really adds a lot and helps cut the richness of a traditional brownie. 

Lavender Brownies

yields 9 brownies, adapted from Homesick Texan

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. dried lavender buds, plus additional for garnish

4 oz bittersweet chocolate

8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup flour

flaked or corse sea salt, optional

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 8x8 or 9x9 square pan. 

In a food processor, pulse the sugar and lavender together until combined and the lavender is small.

In a saucepan on low, melt the chocolate and butter together. Once melted, turn off the heat and stir in the lavender sugar, salt, cinnamon and vanilla. Add the beaten eggs until well combined, then stir in the flour until everything is mixed. A thick batter will form!

Pour your batter into the pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a knife or tooth pick comes out clean. Pull your brownies out of the oven and sprinkle with the sea salt and lavender buds. I like to rub the lavender between the palm of my hands to create smaller pieces to garnish with. Wait for the brownies to completely cool before you try to cut into them!

**You can find lavender on the spice aisle at Sprouts or other specialty grocery stores or spice markets. 

Try them, you just must. Dunk them in a glass of milk too for added deliciousness. 

Annie

Lavender Lemonade

When I was little, the Sam's size Country Time powered lemonade mix was a staple in our pantry. It was perfect to mix up on summer days or for impromptu lemonade stands. Lemonade is something that has sort of escaped my radar, it's super underrated I just always forget about it.

My lavender cupcakes sent me on a lavender high. While running into a friend the other day she told me how she likes to make lavender lemonade and even went to a lavender festival out in the boondocks of Oklahoma once! Lavender lemonade struck my taste buds and I knew I needed to search for a recipe. Little did I know, a recipe was right under my nose. 

My newest blogging for books cookbook came in a few weeks ago. This time I selected Pure Food written by the founder of Pure Bars, Veronica Bosgraaf. Veronica cooks clean, plant-based food in a simple way that anyone can enjoy. I love how she splits the cookbook up by each month. This recipe for homemade lemonade was found in the June section! I love how this lavender lemonade turned out and I promise it's as easy as the powder stuff minus all the additives!

Lavender Lemonade from Pure Food

Ingredients:
6 cups cold water
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar, blended
3 sprigs of lavender

Directions:
In a pitcher combine cold water and lemon juice. In a food processor or blender, process your sugar for just a few seconds to get it superfine. This will allow it to dissolve easier. Take your lavender and roll it on a cutting board to get the aromas activated. Chop the sprigs roughly and add to the pitcher. Let all the flavors combine and chill in the fridge. 

Serve your lemonade over ice with a sprig of lavender and a lemon wedge!

I easily found my lavender at Whole Foods, just look next to the other fresh herbs. I have a feeling a pitcher of this lavender lemonade is going to be a new staple in my fridge this summer! Take a sip!

Annie

I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. If you are also a blogger make sure to check out their site on how you too can start Blogging for Books!

"The Best Cookies You've Ever Made"

I had originally discovered these cookies in the midst of distracting myself from studying for finals. The idea of lavender and white chocolate had me drooling in the library. I couldn't wait to get home for the summer to make these!

The lovely Rachel over at Spache the Spatula first made these cookies. Go check out her site because all of her recipes are seriously nom worthy. 

I knew I would love the flavor combination of the cookies, but I was a little nervous at what other people would think, especially boys, especially my dad. He has a broad palate but usually likes to stick to the basics when it comes to cookies. To my surprise, they were a hit! My dad even claimed he thinks they are the best cookies I've ever made! 

They are unusual, but absolutely amazing. The have a really gourmet layer of flavors that anyone would love! These are the perfect spring or summer cookie and would be great at any kind of shower or party!

I had never made anything with lavender before, but I've always loved the flavor. I found a small pouch of lavender buds at Sprouts on an end cap with other peculiar spices. Although, I'm sure you could find them at most specialty or organic grocery stores. 

I love the way Rachel combines the lavender and sugar in a food processor to really perfume the sugar and to insure the lavender gets spread throughout the dough. 

The only change to the recipe I made was using chips instead of getting a bark of chocolate and chopping it. I just add the chips directly to the electric mixer and let the mixer chop the chips up a little. 

The cookies are finished off with a sprinkle of sea salt and extra lavender to really balance out the flavors. I was so pleased with these cookies and so was everyone who tried them!

Sea Salt Lavender and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
yields 2 dozen

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. cornstarch
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. lavender
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
6 Tbsp. vegetable shortening
1 large egg + 1 large egg white
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
sea salt for sprinkling 

Directions:
In a bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt; set aside. 

In a food processor, process the sugar and lavender for a few seconds until the lavender is chopped into tiny pieces and sugar starts to "smoke" out of the processor. This step perfumes the sugar and ensures that the lavender will be evenly distributed within the cookie!

In an electric mixer, beat together the butter, shortening and lavender sugar on medium for 3 minutes. Add in the egg and egg white and beat for 3 more minutes until fluffy. Add in the flour mixture slowly and white chocolate until combined. 

Using a cookie scoop, generously scoop oversized balls of dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, then preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While the oven is preheating, place your sheets of dough in the freezer to let them firm up. Once the oven is ready, bake your cookies for 12 minutes. 

The cookies should look slightly underdone when you take them out. Immediately sprinkle with sea salt and extra lavender if you want! Allow to cool then indulge in one of the best cookies you will ever make;)

To use up the rest of your lavender, try this vanilla lavender granola recipe! 

Annie