In a quaint little town surrounded by endless fields of lavender, I stumbled upon a charming bakery that sparked my love for pastries. The owner, an elderly woman with twinkling eyes, had a secret ingredient in almost all her desserts: lavender. One sunny afternoon, I spent hours learning her craft, and she shared with me her fragrant twist on the classic lemon pastry. Inspired by her warmth and wisdom, I created my own version of lavender lemon pastries that are light, flaky, and bursting with flavor. Each bite is a journey to a warm summer day, with the sweet scent of lavender mingling with zesty lemon. Perfect for tea parties or simply indulging yourself!
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup cold water
1 tablespoon dried culinary lavender
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Begin by making the pastry dough. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, powdered sugar, and sea salt. Add the chilled, cubed butter and use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add cold water, mixing until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
While the dough is chilling, prepare the lavender lemon filling. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon juice, granulated sugar, and dried lavender. Heat over low until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is fragrant. Remove from heat and let it steep for 15 minutes. Strain the mixture to remove lavender buds, then let it cool slightly.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, heavy cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Slowly incorporate the cooled lemon-lavender mixture into the egg mixture, stirring until well combined.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a muffin tin. Roll out the chilled pastry dough on a floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out circles large enough to fit into the muffin tin cups. Gently press the dough into each cup to form a shell.
Pour the lavender lemon filling into each pastry shell, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set and the edges of the pastry are golden brown.
Once baked, remove from the oven and allow the pastries to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, and enjoy these little bites of heaven with a cup of tea!