Oh yes! Fine or true lavender can very well be used in food!

Its light and sweet scent makes it a lavender particularly suited for cooking. You can use it in different forms: as essential oil (very concentrated), as hydrolate (gentle), and as dried flowers.

In this article, we share 5 recipes using fine lavender!

Let's start with drinks:

Drinks
with lavender

Lavender syrup is the must-have recipe!

And for an even fresher break, the syrup fits perfectly into homemade lemonade!

Lavender syrup recipe

• - 500 ml of water
  - 300g of sugar
  - 2 tablespoons of fine lavender flowers

• Preparation:
  1) Heat the water and sugar until dissolved
  
  2) Add the lavender flowers, let simmer for 5 min
  
  3) Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 15 min
   
  4) Strain and pour into a sterilized bottle

Lavender lemonade recipe

• - Lavender syrup
  - 4 lemons
  - 1L of sparkling water
  - Ice cubes

• Preparation:
  
  1) In a large pitcher, pour the cooled lavender syrup, lemon juice, and sparkling water
  
  2) Mix and add ice cubes
  
  3) Serve very cold with sprigs of lavender and lemon slices

Lavender shortbread cookies: 

- 200g of flour
- 100g of unsalted butter (soft)
- 80g of sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 to 2 tsp of dried fine lavender flowers

Preparation:

1) Grind the lavender flowers into coarse powder

2) Mix butter and sugar, add the egg yolk

3) Incorporate the flour, salt, and lavender. Form a ball of dough

4) Roll into a log, wrap in plastic, and let rest for 30 min in the fridge.

5) Cut into slices and bake at 170°C for 12-15 min

6) Enjoy!

Lavender crème brûlée:

 Ingredients (for 4 people): 

- 25cl of heavy cream
- 25cl of milk
- 4 egg yolks
- 80g of sugar
- 1 tsp of fine lavender flowers
- Brown sugar for caramelizing 

Preparation: 

1) Heat the milk and cream with the lavender. Let infuse for 15 min, then strain 

2) Whisk the yolks with the sugar 

3) Pour the hot cream-milk mixture over while gently whisking 

4) Distribute into ramekins and cook in a water bath at 150°C, about 35-40 min 

5) Let cool, sprinkle with brown sugar and caramelize with a torch

Lavender honey madeleine:

Ingredients (for 6 people): 

- 80 g of salted butter
- 2 eggs
- 60 g of lavender honey
- 1 yellow lemon
- 2 tablespoons of milk
- 130 g of flour
- ½ teaspoon of baking powder 

Preparation:

1) Melt the salted butter in the microwave. 

2) Grate the zest of your lemon using a microplane. 

3) In a mixing bowl, whisk or beat the eggs with the honey until the mixture whitens and becomes frothy. 

4) Incorporate the lemon zest as well as 2 tablespoons of milk. 

5) Gradually add the sifted flour and baking powder while mixing continuously. 

6) Pour in the melted butter and mix until you obtain a smooth batter. 

7) Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 12 hours. 

8) For a consistent result, fill the buttered and floured molds of metal madeleine pans with the batter using a piping bag. 

9) Reserve your mold in the refrigerator for 1 hour. 

10) Bake your madeleines for 13 minutes at 170°C 

11) Unmold and enjoy!

And there you go! Lavender can be found in the fields, but it can also be deliciously incorporated into our recipes.

In syrup, in lemonade, or in some sweet creations, it brings this little floral note as long as you always keep a light hand.

And you, which lavender recipe would you like to try?

Simon & Marion - a MAS in PROVENCE