All masked for interior work, per new CDC guidelines — to help me pack up the Earth treat boxes. Previously I’d done this all myself, but it’s so nice having help with it.
Five people, three hours or so, although I think we could be a little more efficient if everyone had done it before and knew where things were, etc. — there was a fair bit of training time in here. And we were learning how to shrink wrap soaps for the first time, so that was new for everyone, and a bit slow.
But regardless, much more fun to do with the team, much less tiring. I do like working with people.
Use your favorite chocolate-chip recipe (I used this one: https://www.allrecipes.com/…/best-chocolate-chip-cookies/), but then sub in jaggery for the dark brown sugar, skip the walnuts, add in dried cherries, sprinkle with flake salt.
If possible, serve warm, as the combination of honey and lavender smells incredible. They taste good too.
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1/4 t. baking powder
1 1/2 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. jaggery or dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. honey
1 t. culinary lavender
optional for decorating: luster dust, small grain flake salt, sanding sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine flour, salt, and baking powder; set aside.
2. Cream together the butter, sugar, and honey. Then add flour mix slowly; mix on low until dough forms. Stir in lavender.
3. Turn out dough onto floured board. Roll flat (to desired cookie height, usually about 1/2 inch). Chill 15 minutes, then roll with embossing pin if using. Cut out shapes, place on parchment-covered baking sheet, and chill for an additional 15 minutes (to help hold shape).
NOTE: Can be kept chilled at this point for several days, covered in plastic wrap, and then rolled, cut, and baked fresh.
Alternately, press into baking pan or shortbread mold, prick with fork. You can also cut shapes out after baking — shortbread is very forgiving that way — but then the individual cookie edges won’t be browned.
4. Remove from fridge and bake for 10-13 minutes, until the edges begin to brown, then remove to wire rack to cool. Decorate if desired with luster dust, flake salt, or sanding sugar.
Finished set of salted honey & lavender cookies — some sprinkled with flake salt, some sprinkled with sanding sugar, some gilded with luster dust. Cookies three ways. Recipe in next post.
One more variation on yesterday’s cookies — sprinkled with a little yellow sanding sugar. I thought this might make them too sweet, but no, it’s still tasty.
I love the way a little flake salt sprinkled on the top makes the honey sweetness dance on your tongue. (Press in a bit with your fingers while still warm.)
Golden hazy days of summer, and the humming of the bees, sunlight glinting, telling you to rest a little. Lay down in the field. Autumn labors will be here soon enough…
