LAVENDER & ROSEMARY SHORTBREAD

Herbs are often used to flavour savoury dishes, but their delicate flavours and aromas also lend themselves well to a wide variety of cakes and cookies. “I always put rosemary in my shortbread and it tastes great,” says NZ Gardener editor Jo Mccarroll. “No-one can guess what the ’secret‘ ingredient is.“

Just whizz rosemary up to a fine powder in a food processor or spice grinder first so it‘s not too fibrous. Or try lavender cookies, but make sure you use English lavender ( Lavandula angustifolia) only. Other lavenders are too bitter.

Ingredients • 1 cup sugar • ½ cup butter • 2 eggs • 1½ cups flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1 teaspoon lavender flowers, crushed • ¼ teaspoon salt For icing: • 2 cups icing sugar • 4 tablespoons rosewater

Preheat oven to 190°C. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in flour, baking powder, lavender and salt. Drop teaspoonsful onto baking tray. Bake about 10 minutes. For icing, combine icing sugar and rosewater.