Fragrant flourishes: Lavender sugar biscuits and rhubarb, strawberry and rose crumble

There’s nothing like a bouquet to brighten up your baking. Try these lavender sugar biscuits and a fruit crumble with rosewater.

Lavender sugar biscuits. Picture: Guy Bailey

There’s nothing like a bouquet to brighten up your baking. Rosewater, that fragrant essence of roses, is popular in Middle Eastern desserts but don’t be tempted to use more than is required – it can smell like nanna’s powder room if you’re too heavy-handed. If you have any in the garden, pick a couple of unsprayed rose geranium leaves, bruise them and add to the rhubarb before baking.

Lavender sugar biscuits

½ cup caster sugar, plus a tablespoon extra for sprinkling

3 heads unsprayed lavender (or a teaspoon of dried)

250g salted butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups plain flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ cup almond meal

In a sturdy bowl, add sugar and lavender heads and press with the handle of your rolling pin, mortar and pestle style; you will smell the lavender aroma as the flowers release their oil into the sugar. Sift sugar into a mixing bowl; combine remaining crushed flowers with the extra sugar and set aside. Add softened butter and vanilla to the bowl of sugar and beat until the mixture is creamy and a pale straw colour. Sift over flour, baking powder and almond meal; stir until combined. Shape dough into a disc and place on baking paper; cover with more baking paper and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 170C (150C fan). Dust dough with flour and roll out between baking paper to 6mm thick; use the top sheet to line a baking tray. Using a floured glass or 5cm biscuit cutter, cut out 12 biscuits; place on lined tray and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. Squish remaining scraps of dough into a disc and place in fridge for 15 minutes; repeat the process on a second tray. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes or until the edges of the biscuits start to go golden but the tops are still blonde. Remove from oven and sprinkle with extra lavender-infused sugar. Leave biscuits on the tray for 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container. Makes 20-25

Rhubarb, strawberry & rose crumble. Picture: Guy Bailey

Rhubarb, strawberry & rose crumble

½ cup caster sugar

¼ teaspoon rosewater

500g rhubarb, washed and cut into 2cm lengths

250g strawberries, hulled and cut in half

Vanilla ice-cream and/or pouring cream, to serve

Shortcake crumble

1 cup self-raising flour

100g chilled butter, cut into small cubes

½ cup caster sugar

½ cup almond flakes (or rolled oats for a nut-free version)

Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan). In a small saucepan, add the sugar and half a cup of water; stir over heart until sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and add the rosewater. Place rhubarb in a cute baking dish and pour over the sugar syrup. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes until rhubarb is soft; remove from oven and fold in strawberries. Meanwhile, sift the flour into a bowl; rub in the chilled butter then stir in the sugar and almond flakes or oats. Scatter over the cooked fruit and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes until golden on top and bubbling around the edges. Serve hot with ice-cream and/or pouring cream. The fruit can also be baked, cooled, and served atop porridge. Serves 4-6

TIPS

The biscuits are perfect with a cup of tea. Or take them to the next level: lightly mash together frozen raspberries and ice cream and sandwich between two biscuits