Strawberry And Lavender Butter Spread Recipes

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat together the butter, confectioners' sugar and strawberry preserves until creamy. Cover, and refrigerate until serving.

Steps:

• To make the pastry, put the flour, almonds, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt in a food processor. Whizz until the mixture looks like coarse breadcrumbs (be careful not to over-process or the oil will start coming out of the almonds). Tip into a bowl, beat the egg yolk with 1 tsp water and add it to the dough. Mix gently and quickly with a cutlery knife until everything comes together - add a little more water if needed. Pat the pastry into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins until firm.
• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface (making sure you have enough flour so that the pastry doesn't stick) and use it to line a 25cm tart tin with a removable base (it should be 3cm deep). It isn't easy pastry with which to work; if it falls apart, just press it into the tin and patch it up. Prick the base with a fork. Put in the freezer or the coldest part of the fridge for 30 mins. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Meanwhile, make the lavender sugar by blitzing the ingredients in the small bowl of a food processor for 1 min until combined. Set aside until ready to use.
• Line the chilled pastry case with baking parchment and baking beans, and blind-bake in the oven for 15 mins until the sides are holding their shape. Remove the paper and beans, and bake for a further 5-7 mins until the pastry is golden. Let it completely cool in the tin, then gently remove it.
• For the filling, beat the mascarpone with a wooden spoon until it's quite smooth, then add the cream and beat with an electric whisk until it's holding its shape. Add the lavender sugar and honey, orange zest, and orange and lemon juice. Whisk to combine and check for sweetness.
• Fill the pastry case with the cream, piped in blobs or just spread over the base, and arrange the strawberries on top. If they're nice and small, just lay them in, pointedside up. If large, slice them about the thickness of a £1 coin, then layer them in overlapping slices, using the bigger slices for the middle of the tart and the smaller ones towards the edge. Sift some more of the lavender sugar on top and serve.

Steps:

• Pulse strawberries in a food processor until chopped. Add butter and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar; process until blended. Add enough remaining confectioners' sugar to reach a spreading consistency and desired level of sweetness. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Steps:

• Mash 1/3 cup sugar and lemon peel in small bowl to blend well. (Lemon sugar can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)
• Bring 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, honey, and lavender to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until lavender flavor is pronounced, about 3 minutes. Strain syrup into small bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature. Rewarm syrup before continuing.)
• Place berries in large bowl. Pour warm syrup over berries; stir to coat. Divide berries and syrup among 8 bowls. Spoon crème fraîche over berries, sprinkle with lemon sugar, and serve immediately.
• *Available at natural foods stores and some farmers' markets.

Steps:

• Puree strawberries and send them through a fine sieve to catch the seeds. Whisk in cool lavender simple syrup and lemon juice. Taste for balance of acid and sweetness. Chill overnight in freezer.
• Combine the sugar and the water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool. Bring simple syrup back to a simmer and toss in dried lavender. Cover and infuse for a 30 minutes. Strain and cool. Store in a refrigerator.

Steps:

• Mix ingredients thoroughly.
• To freeze, shape softened butter into logs and wrap with waxed paper or plastic wrap. You can also pipe little star shaped butter pieces and freeze on waxed paper on a hard pan in freezer, then pop off and store in a ziplock bag in freezer.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a large glass carafe or pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 12-24 hours.