Lavender Shortcakes with Strawberries

These shortcakes are very easily made and are lovely by themselves, just with a cup of tea. You could try chopped rosemary instead of the lavender for a change.

Ingredients

A few sprigs of fresh or dried lavender

100g softened butter

50g caster sugar

1 egg yolk

150g plain flour

350g strawberries

1 tablespoon orange juice

Method

• Preheat the oven to 190ºC and lightly grease two baking trays. Rub or pick the flowers off the lavender sprigs.

• Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, add in the egg yolk and the lavender flowers. Then add the flour and mix to a soft dough with a wooden spoon.

• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to about 3mm thick (it does tend to break up easily but work patiently with it). Cut out 10–12 biscuits with an 8cm/3in cookie cutter.

• Transfer gently to the baking sheets and bake in oven for 10 minutes until golden.

• Allow to cool for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

• Wash and hull the strawberries. Slice two-thirds of them and place in a mixing bowl. Purée the remaining strawberries with the orange juice and push through a sieve to remove the seeds. Stir the purée into the strawberry slices and serve with the shortcakes and perhaps a dollop of fresh whipped cream.