Best French Lavender And Vanilla Sugar For Elegant Cakes And Bakes Recipes

LAVENDER SUGAR WITH VANILLA

Steps:

• Place a cup of sugar in each (1 cup) jar along with 1 tablespoon lavender and divide the vanilla bean among some or all the jars.
• Alternate method:.
• I put one jar of the mix into the vita mix to grind up the lavender and powdered the sugar. (Which is nice if you don`t want lavender buds in your baking. Or to add to a cup of comforting tea.).
• Let sit overnight.
• I did open in a couple hour and the aroma was just fabulous!

FRENCH LAVENDER AND VANILLA SUGAR FOR ELEGANT CAKES AND BAKES

Steps:

• Place the lavender heads and about 2 tablespoons sugar into a food mixer, or coffee/spice blender. Pulse together for about 1 minute or until the lavender is ground, the same consistency as ground spices.
• Place the rest of the sugar into a large mixing bowl & add the ground lavender and sugar mix.
• Mix well.
• In tall jar, Kilner jars are good, pour half the lavender sugar; place the three vanilla pods in the jar, towards the outside so they may be seen,.
• Carefully add the rest of the sugar so the vanilla pods are standing up in the sugar.
• Seal and keep for about 2 weeks before using,.
• Store in a dark, dry and cool place.
• This lasts up to 1 year and the vanilla pods can be used numerous times again, after the sugar has finished.
• Use in cakes, biscuits, cookies, jams, cream desserts, ice-cream, pies and tarts, crumbles, trifles and junkets etc.

THE BEST VANILLA CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds; lightly coat the paper with nonstick spray.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a large bowl until combined. Beat the butter, granulated sugar, oil and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl until the batter is completely combined, smooth and creamy. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Scrape the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Smooth the tops. Bake, rotating the pans from left to right halfway through, until the cakes are a light golden brown and a tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pans to a wire rack and let the cakes cool for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the sides of the cakes and invert onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment and let the cakes cool completely.
• For the frosting: Beat the butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce the speed to low and gradually mix in the confectioners' sugar until completely smooth. With the motor running, drizzle in the heavy cream, vanilla and salt. Increase the speed to high and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
• To assemble the cake: Place one cake, domed-side down, on a platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the frosting evenly over the top. Place the remaining cake, domed-side up, on top. Spread the top with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting. Frost the sides of the cake with 1 1/2 cups of the frosting and smooth out completely to make an even crumb coat. (It's ok if some of the cake shows through. This is just a base layer.) Refrigerate for 30 minutes to let the frosting set.
• Spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides, smoothing it out.

THE BEST LAVENDER SUGAR COOKIES EVER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and grease the paper.
• Whisk flour, sugar, and baking powder in a bowl. Stir butter and egg into flour mixture until smooth; add vanilla extract and lavender. Gently mix again until thoroughly combined.
• Drop cookie dough by tablespoon about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are fragrant and edges turn light golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

FRENCH VANILLA CAKE WITH FRENCH VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl until well combined.
• Cream together white sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in egg yolks and beat until incorporated. Add in whole eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat mixture on medium-high speed until very fluffy, and mixture has lightened in color, 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Slice vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the back of a knife to scrape seeds out of both halves, and add seeds to the butter mixture. Set vanilla bean pod aside to use for the frosting. Mix vanilla bean seeds into the butter mixture on low speed until incorporated.
• Add vanilla and almond extracts to the batter and mix on low speed until incorporated. Pour in half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Add milk and sour cream and mix until combined. Pour in remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Divide batter evenly between the cake pans and smooth into even layers.
• Place pans into the preheated oven and bake until centers of the cakes spring back lightly when touched, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and allow cakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes before running a knife carefully around the edges of the pans to loosen. Transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely.
• While cakes are in the oven, begin making the frosting. Add reserved vanilla bean pod to a small saucepan and pour in heavy cream. Place pan over low heat and cook until mixture is just warm, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow mixture to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before placing into the refrigerator until chilled, about 30 minutes more.
• When heavy cream mixture is chilled, finish the frosting. Place 1 cup butter into a large bowl and beat on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Mix in powdered sugar gradually, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Remove vanilla bean pod from chilled heavy cream. Discard vanilla bean pod. Pour heavy cream into the butter-powdered sugar mixture. Add in vanilla extract and salt. Beat mixture on low speed until cream is incorporated, then turn mixer speed up to medium-high and continue to beat until frosting is light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes more.
• Pipe a layer of frosting to the top of one of the cakes and set 2nd cake on top. Frost cake as desired with remaining frosting.

LAVENDER COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Cream butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, lavender, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture. , Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool 2 minutes before removing to wire racks. Store in an airtight container.