This was a very special treat that we enjoyed last Sunday. Lavender has come into season now with the warm weather and our strawberries are at their peak. It was fun to have these together.

Fresh lavender from our garden

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:

for the shortcake:

  • 1/2 cup lavender sugar*
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon dried lavender (besides the lavender used for the sugar)
  • 6 tablespoons cold vegan margarine
  • 1 egg replacement
  • 1/3 cup soy yogurt or soy cream

for the strawberry sauce:

  • 4 cups of cleaned, hulled and quartered strawberries
  • 1/4 cup sugar

for the lavender whipped coconut cream:

  • 1/2 cup cold coconut cream
  • 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons of dried lavender

for the lavender sugar:

  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dried lavender

Lavender Strawberry Shortcake with Lavender Whipped Coconut Cream

Directions:

to make the lavender sugar for the shortcake:

  1. Ground 2 teaspoons of dried lavender. You can use a clean coffee grinder to grind the lavender or a mortar and pestle.
  2. Mix it with powdered sugar.

to make the shortcake:

  1. Mix the flour, lavender sugar, baking soda, baking powder, egg replacement and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Add 1/2 the tablespoon of dried lavender (reserving the other half to sprinkle on top of the biscuits).
  3. Cut the cold vegan margarine into small pieces and drop into the flour mixture.
  4. Mix the vegan margarine into the flour mixture well. It will resemble sand.
  5. Add the soy yogurt or soy cream and mix.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350 F / 177 C.
  7. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and lightly fold three of four times. Don’t overwork the dough as it will become tough. Just enough to have an even consistency.
  8. Using a floured cookie cutter, or juice glass, cut the biscuit forms out of the dough.
  9. Place the biscuits on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
  10. Brush the tops of the biscuits with a bit of soy milk, soy cream, soy yogurt or water, and sprinkle the remaining lavender on top of the biscuits.
  11. Bake in the oven for 15-18 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
  12. Allow to cool before cutting and assembling with the strawberries and lavender cream.

to make the strawberry sauce:

  1. Clean hull and quarter the strawberries.
  2. Add the sugar and mix gently.
  3. Allow the juices to draw for at least 1/2 an hour.

to make the lavender whipped coconut cream:

  1. Beat the cold coconut cream until it thickens and will hold a peak. This will take about 10 minutes.
  2. For the lavender sugar, ground 2 teaspoons of dried lavender and mixed it with powdered sugar.
  3. Add the lavender sugar and continue beating.
  4. Place in the refrigerator until needed.

to make the dessert:

  1. Slice a lavender biscuit in half, put a generous about of strawberry sauce on the bottom half and on part of the plate.
  2. Place some of the whipped coconut cream on the strawberries and then the top portion of the biscuit.
  3. Place a dollop of the whipped coconut cream on top, and optionally garnish with a strawberry.

Notes:

It’s most important that you use organic lavender.