Lemon-Lavender Soda Bread

What are you baking? I found this old The FruitGuys recipe for Lemon-Lavender Soda Bread and made it for Easter and it was delicious. No yeast needed. You can find lavender buds in well-stocked dried goods aisles or order them online (search “dried lavender buds for cooking”).  If you can’t find buttermilk, just add a tablespoon of lemon juice to a cup of milk to make your own. Enjoy with a fresh pot of your favorite tea or try our Basil Honey Tea recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
• ⅓ cup sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons lavender buds
• 2 tablespoons grated lemon peel (about 2 lemons)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup unsalted cold butter (one stick), cut into small pieces
• Sugar for dusting

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 375 °F.
2. Grease an 8-inch diameter pie pan and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, combine buttermilk, vanilla, and lemon juice and stir.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, lemon peel and lavender buds.
5. Cut cold butter into small (about 1-inch) pieces and add to the dry ingredients. Using your fingers (or a pastry blender), mix together until coarse crumbs form.
6. Gradually stir in the buttermilk, vanilla and lemon mixture.
7. Using floured hands, gently shape the dough into a ball. Transfer to greased pie pan and flatten slightly. With a knife, cut a cross into the top of the dough. Dust with sugar
8. Bake until brown at edges and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool bread in the pan at least 10 minutes before eating

Serves 4-10. Prep time, 20–25 minutes; cook time, 45 minutes.