Lavender scones

Ingredients    225g self raising flour, 50g butter, 50g brown sugar, 150ml milk, 150g dried lavender.

Serves: 10 Preparation: 30 minutes

My favourite ingredient is lavender. It has an incredible flavour and scent, has been used in cuisine and home-remedies for centuries and to me manages to be both seductive and comforting. Snuggling under a bedsheet washed in lavender scented soap brings sweet dreams but breathing in the scent of my lavender plants enlivens me. These scones are subtly flavoured and perfect with my lavender jam.


1) First infuse the milk with the lavender by setting it to steep for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.


2) Sift the flour and sugar together, then rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.


3) Strain the lavender from the milk, pressing firmly on the lavender to squeeze out as much flavour as possible, and mix the milk in with the dry ingredients until a dough has formed. I like to add in a teaspoon or so of the damp lavender to the actual scone dough to give it a stronger flavour but it's entirely a matter of taste. The subtle lavender flavour is lovely as it is.


4)  Roll out the dough on a floured surface and then fold it in half and roll again. Cut out rounds of pastry with a scalloped cutter and brush with the last drizzles of the milk to help the surface colour.


5) Bake at 200 degrees for 10-12 minutes.