LAVENDER ESSENCE RECIPES AND IDEAS

Cooking Essence is for use in bakery and high temperature cooked foods such as preserves and sauces.

Cold Essence is for use in ice creams and drinks.

Both types of essence are sold in The Hop Shop - please ask if you are unsure which type to purchase.

NB. The only food type which requires oil, not essence, is chocolate, for which we recommend the Lavandin oil.

COOKING TIPS:

Lavender softens the tartness of acidic fruits. Even just a few drops of cooking essence added to a saucepan of stewed fruit can make a big difference to the taste.

The flavour of lavender in savoury recipes is enhanced by being used in combination with coriander seed. 

Fresh lavender spikes are an unusual garnish for meat and fish dishes and the flavour is particularly good alongside fennel, oregano, sage and coriander seed.

Try using rosemary in your savoury breads or adding stems to summer barbeque shrimps or lamb kebabs.


LAVENDER SHORTBREAD

100g unsalted butter, softened
50g caster sugar
100g plain flour
50g corn flour or rice flour
grated rind of one lemon
10 drops Lavender Cooking Essence
A pinch of dried or fresh lavender flowers
A little sugar to sprinkle before baking

Beat the butter and sugar and lavender essence with an electric whisk until soft and creamy. Work in the flours, lemon rind and lavender flowers.

Press the mixture into a round 20cm/8 inch loose-based cake tin and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake at 160C/gas 3 for 30-35 minutes until light golden. Mark the cake into 12 wedges and then leave to cool in the tin. Remove very carefully and serve with fresh strawberries and whipped  lavender cream.


GOOSEBERRY AND LAVENDER CRUMBLE

400g gooseberries, washed and prepared
100g plain flour
50g butter
50g demerara or white sugar
50g chopped hazelnuts

LAVENDER SYRUP
1 teaspoon dried lavender flowers
85g caster sugar
2 thin strips of lemon rind
100ml water
2-4 drops of Lavender Cooking Essence (to taste)

Make the lavender syrup by placing all the ingredients in a small pan and stirring until the sugar is dissolved while bringing it to boil.  Boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and leave to cool. Add lavender essence.

Place the gooseberries in a 3 pint pie dish or other oven proof dish. Remove the lemon rind from the syrup and pour the syrup over the gooseberries.

Make the crumble. Place the flour in a bowl and add the butter in small pieces. Using your finger tips mix the butter with the flour until crumbly. Stir in the sugar and nuts (the crumble can be made in a food processor).
Sprinkle over the gooseberries and bake in 180C/gas 4 for about 30 minutes.
Serve warm with lavender ice cream, cream or yoghurt.

Note: This dish can be made with rhubarb or plums instead of gooseberries.


LAVENDER ICE CREAM

4 egg yolks
1/2 pint (250ml) milk
1/2 pint (250ml) double cream
100g sugar or caster sugar
0.5 ml Lavender Cold Essence (15 drops - to taste).

Bring the milk slowly to boiling point in a saucepan. Separately, mix together the egg yolks and sugar until thick. Pour into this the hot milk, whilst continuously stirring. Then pour the mixture back into the pan and heat gently, stirring until the custard thickens - do not boil or it will curdle. When you can see a film form over the back of your spoon it's time to remove the saucepan from the heat. Leave to cool.
When the custard base is cold, stir in the cream and the lavender essence. Transfer the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions.


LAVENDER SUMMER FRUIT PUDDING

200g strawberries, blackberries, raspberries
3 slices brioche or white bread
Drop of cassis and Lavender syrup to taste

Puree half of the blackberries, strawberries and raspberries, add a dash of cassis and heat through gently in your lavender syrup. Immerse brioche/bread in the rich red lavender fruit syrup. Layer the bottom of the mould with soaked brioche/bread, cut the strawberries and layer them on top, add another layer of soaked brioche/bread and blackberries, then brioche/bread and whole raspberries. Chill to set for 3 hours. Decorate with icing sugar and lavender fruit syrup drizzled around the plate.
Serve with lavender cream.

LAVENDER CREAM: Mix 1 drop of Lavender Cold Essence in 1/2 pint of whipped cream and 1 tsp sugar. 


CHICKEN WITH LAVENDER AND LEMON SAUCE

2 chicken breasts
300ml good chicken stock
10 drops Lavender Cooking Essence OR 1 tsp lavender flowers
10g butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 level teaspoons plain flour
3 tablespoons double cream
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
fresh lavender flowers to garnish

Place the stock and lavender essence in a saucepan and bring to boil. Add the chicken breasts and return to boil and poach for 12-14 minutes until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken to a dish and keep warm while making the sauce. Pour the stock into a jug.

Melt the butter in the pan and soften the shallot gently for 3 minutes. Sprinkle on the flour and stir to mix.
Gradually add the stock and stir while bringing to the boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then add the cream, salt and pepper. Simmer for a few minutes. Add lemon juice and  season to taste.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and serve with new potatoes and perhaps mange tout or sugar snap peas.


LAVENDER YOGURT CHEESECAKE

50g unsalted butter
1/2 tsp lavender heads, finely crushed
115g digestive biscuits, crushed
4tbsp caster sugar
250g good quality cream cheese
250ml thick-set natural yoghurt
175ml double cream
a couple of drops of cold lavender essence

For the strawberries -
125g caster sugar
6 kaffir lime leaves, torn
zest and juice of 2 limes
225g strawberries, hulled and halved

Melt the butter in a pan, add the lavender flowers and remove from the heat. Stir in the crushed biscuits and half the sugar. While still warm, press the biscuit into the base of a flan ring. Refrigerate for an hour to set.

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the remaining sugar and yogurt until smooth and add a couple of drops of cold lavender essence. In another bowl, whip the double cream until half whipped and just holding shape, then gently fold into the yogurt mixture until amalgamated. Spread the mixture over the biscuit base and smooth over the surface with a palate knife. Return to the fridge for an hour or until ready to serve.

For the strawberries, bring the sugar and 150ml water to the boil slowly while stirring. Add the kaffir leaves, if using, and boil for 2 minutes to form a light syrup. Add the lime juice and zest. Put the strawberries in a bowl, pour over the hot lime syrup and leave to cool. Cut the cheesecake into wedges, garnish with the strawberries and sauce and serve.


ROAST BEEF WITH LAVENDER AND CORIANDER

When roasting a topside of Castle Farm Beef, make a lavender and coriander crust to infuse the beef with flavour -
Take 2 teaspoons of coriander seed and crush with 2 teaspoons of lavender heads. Mix with 2 tablespoons of lavender honey, pepper and salt. Rub the mixture in to the top of the beef, and roast in the normal way.
Serve on a bed of fresh lavender stems.


MARINADES FOR BBQ MEATS

Mix 4 tablespoons olive oil with 5 drops Rosemary Cooking Essence, one crushed garlic clove and salt and pepper. Brush on lamb, beef or chicken before cooking on the BBQ and add rosemary stems to prawn kebabs. 

Use the same marinade for potatoes. Par-boil medium sized potatoes with skins for 5 minutes, cut in half and brush with the marinade and roast on the BBQ (or in the oven) until cooked through.

Mix 4 tablespoons olive oil with 5 drops of Lavender Cooking Essence, juice of half a lemon and salt and pepper. Brush on chicken before cooking on the BBQ (or baking in the oven).

Lavender foods available at The Hop Shop -
Lavender ice-cream, biscuits, sugar, vinegar, cranberry and lavender chutney, plum and lavender chutney, jelly, apricot and lavender jam, fudge, honey, cakes, soft cheese.



With thanks to Agneta Edwards Catering, Shoreham for her assistance in compiling the recipes and to Guy Massey of The Watermark Restaurant, Eynsford for the lavender summer fruit pudding recipe.


WE ARE ALWAYS INTERESTED TO HEAR OF NEW RECIPES OR COOKING IDEAS USING LAVENDER SO PLEASE KEEP US IN TOUCH WITH YOUR CULINARY SUCCESSES!