I meant to. It wasn't a mistake. Trust me, they taste incredible.
No, not like soap.
Like sweet, flowery, crumbly, goodness.
Seriously, I was planning to make you soap.
I was also planning to make you one of those lavender dryer bags.
But then I got distracted. This is what I do. I get distracted.
I got distracted looking at cook books. I wasn't looking for lavender recipes. I had a clear goal in mind. Flowery soap and smelly laundry bags.
But then I found the most delicious looking recipe. An apricot rosemary bar.
You know what happened next. That's right, a sea of flour, butter, sugar, and other good stuff. It was magical.
Since we've got time, I'll tell you exactly how it went.
First, I cut up some butter and put it in a large bowl with some sugar.
I mixed it up until it was as fluffy as the clouds.
Then things got crazy.
I added lavender instead of rosemary. That's right. I did it.
I also added some vanilla.
And flour. And mixed it all up.
Then I squished it into a pan. Flattened the whole thing out with my hands.
I was also planning to make you one of those lavender dryer bags.
But then I got distracted. This is what I do. I get distracted.
I got distracted looking at cook books. I wasn't looking for lavender recipes. I had a clear goal in mind. Flowery soap and smelly laundry bags.
But then I found the most delicious looking recipe. An apricot rosemary bar.
You know what happened next. That's right, a sea of flour, butter, sugar, and other good stuff. It was magical.
Since we've got time, I'll tell you exactly how it went.
First, I cut up some butter and put it in a large bowl with some sugar.
I mixed it up until it was as fluffy as the clouds.
I added lavender instead of rosemary. That's right. I did it.
I also added some vanilla.
And flour. And mixed it all up.
Then I squished it into a pan. Flattened the whole thing out with my hands.
Next, I simmered up some apricots and blueberries and sugar and booze. All in a saucepan.
A glass of wine in the pan, a glass of wine for me. A shot of Grand Marnier in the pan, a shot of Grand Marnier for me.
That's right. It's all class around here.
simmer simmer simmer. until all the booze is gone.
A glass of wine in the pan, a glass of wine for me. A shot of Grand Marnier in the pan, a shot of Grand Marnier for me.
That's right. It's all class around here.
simmer simmer simmer. until all the booze is gone.
Finally, I crumbled up some butter, flour, sugar, and almonds. And threw it on top.
I baked it up.
I let it cool.
I baked it up.
I let it cool.
So, instead of flowery soap and smelly laundry bags, I made you squares. Boozy squares with Grand Marnier and white wine.
Lavender Blueberry Apricot Square Recipe (print)
makes 12 squares
adapted from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Lavender Dough Ingredients
12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely chopped lavender
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Blueberry Apricot Filling Ingredients
2 cups fresh apricots, chopped
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Grand Marnier
Crumble Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds
3 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cubed
Directions
1. Line a 9 inch square baking pan with tin foil or parchment paper {make sure to leave an overhang - you will need this to pull the bars out of the pan}. Lightly coat the parchment paper or tin foil with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
I thought you'd like these better. Clearly you did, because they're all gone.
makes 12 squares
adapted from Baked Explorations by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Lavender Dough Ingredients
12 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp finely chopped lavender
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Blueberry Apricot Filling Ingredients
2 cups fresh apricots, chopped
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup of white wine
1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of granulated sugar
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp Grand Marnier
Crumble Topping
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped almonds
3 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled, cubed
Directions
1. Line a 9 inch square baking pan with tin foil or parchment paper {make sure to leave an overhang - you will need this to pull the bars out of the pan}. Lightly coat the parchment paper or tin foil with butter or cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy {3 - 4 minutes}, with a hand mixer.
3. Add the vanilla and chopped lavender. Mix until combined.
4. Slowly add the flour and mix, on low speed, until everything is combined.
5. Dip your hands into flour and then remove the dough from the bowl. Place the dough into the pan and press flat. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. While the dough is chilling, prepare the blueberry apricot filling.
7. In a medium saucepan add the chopped apricots, blueberries, wine, water, sugar, honey, and Grand Marnier. Simmer on low to medium heat until the liquid has absorbed {45 - 60 minutes}. Set to the side.
8. Once the dough has chilled for half and hour, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Placet the crust into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Keep the oven heated at 350ºF.
9. In a bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, chopped almonds, and butter. You are looking for a crumble consistency. You want the mixture to lightly clump together.
10. Once the lavender shortbread has cooled, spread the blueberry apricot filling, and top with the crumble. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top has lightly browned.
11. Let the bars completely cool on a wire rack, in the pan, before serving. Once they have cooled, pull the out with the parchment paper and slice into bars.
4. Slowly add the flour and mix, on low speed, until everything is combined.
5. Dip your hands into flour and then remove the dough from the bowl. Place the dough into the pan and press flat. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. While the dough is chilling, prepare the blueberry apricot filling.
7. In a medium saucepan add the chopped apricots, blueberries, wine, water, sugar, honey, and Grand Marnier. Simmer on low to medium heat until the liquid has absorbed {45 - 60 minutes}. Set to the side.
8. Once the dough has chilled for half and hour, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Placet the crust into the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature. Keep the oven heated at 350ºF.
9. In a bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, chopped almonds, and butter. You are looking for a crumble consistency. You want the mixture to lightly clump together.
10. Once the lavender shortbread has cooled, spread the blueberry apricot filling, and top with the crumble. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top has lightly browned.
11. Let the bars completely cool on a wire rack, in the pan, before serving. Once they have cooled, pull the out with the parchment paper and slice into bars.
