For the love of lavender

I can't believe that it's August already. It wasn't too long ago when I welcomed the nasty hot and humid July with sweaty arms! Maybe I was too busy consuming the luscious summer berries, which we lugged back from the farmer's market every week. Or being distracted by the countless recipes I have bookmarked to try with the abundant fruits, but keep putting off by the heat.

Either way, 0707 has passed, and I am glad that I have read the 7th and the last book of Harry Potter too. Not that it is any form of achievement, but nonetheless, I am relieved to know the ending of the story.

Anyhow, I digress. Instead of keep complaining about the hot weather that nobody needs reminding, let's talk about what is to love about July. Perhaps the fleeting season of cherry? The first peach, nectarine and plum that hit the market? And the most charming, blooming lavender?

Yes, lavender is one of the reasons that makes July heat slightly bearable. I simply love the sight of lavender and its scent when rubbed between fingers. There are studies that supported the many beneficial properties of its essential oil. And for that reason, lots of products incorporated lavender into their ingredient list.

Unfortunately, I am no fan of such products, but I am guilty of being partial to any baked goods with lavender in it. So imagine how excited I am, when seeing a lavender sable recipe from this blog.

It is love at first sight, and I make it as soon as the temperature dropped a bit. As with the rest of the sables I made in the past, these lavender sables have a buttery and tender texture. If I were Hermione (my favorite character in Harry Potter books), I would gladly put a scent charm into this post, so that you get to smell the lavender sables when they first come out from the oven. The scent though heavenly, is difficult to put in words. I guess you have to bake some while I work on the scent charm.

I bake a few pieces to nibble with a cup of tea in the afternoon and freeze the rest of the dough. It proves to be a useful strategy. For one afternoon when OCT invites friends over at the last minutes, I effortlessly pull out the dough, slice it and bake under a 350F oven for less than 15 minutes. Not only that friends get to eat fresh from the oven lavender sables, our apartment is filled with the scent of lavender that lingers for quite a while.

Lavender Sable
Adapted from this blogandthis blog

1.5 cups and 1.5 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon dried lavender
7 oz (14 tablespoons)unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
3/4 cup confectioner sugar
pinch of salt
1 egg yolk
zest from 1 lemon

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed until smooth, add the confectioners' sugar and beat until well blended. Beat in the egg yolk, followed by salt, dried lavender and lemon zest.

On low speed, add the flour and cornstarch and mix just until flour is incorporated.

Turn dough out onto a counter, gather dough into a ball, divide in half, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator.

Form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 1/4 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill dough for 2 hours in refrigerator. (Dough logs can be wrapped airtight and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.

Once the oven is ready, slice the log into 1/4-inch thick and place on a lined baking sheet with 1/2 inch interval.

Bake for 12- 14 minutes, or until the sables are set but not brown. Tranfer and cool the sables on the rack.