Lavender Honey Tea Bread Food

LAVENDER TEA BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• Combine the milk and lavender in a small saucepan over medium heat. Heat to a simmer, then remove from heat, and allow to cool slightly.
• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until the mixture is light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk and lavender until just blended. Pour into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a wooden pick inserted into the crown of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

LAVENDER HONEY TEA BREAD

Steps:

• Bring milk to simmer in small saucepan; add honey and 1 tablespoon lavender blossoms. Stir until honey dissolves. Remove from heat; cover and let steep 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour decorative 10-cup fluted pan or Bundt pan. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
• Strain milk mixture into another medium bowl; discard solids in strainer. Whisk sour cream into milk mixtureto blend. Using electric mixer, beat 1 cup sugar and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Add flour mixture alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each, beating just until smooth. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top with rubber spatula.
• Bake bread until tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool bread in pan on rack 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack and cool completely.
• Combine powdered sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon lavender blossoms in strainer set over small bowl. Press sugar mixture through strainer, discarding large bits. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.) Sift strained powdered sugar mixture over bread.
• *Lavender honey is available at specialty foods stores and at zingermans.com; dried lavender blossoms are available online at gourmetsleuth.com.
• Baker's wisdom:
• For a delicate texture, mix in the dry ingredients just until the tea bread batter is blended.

LAVENDER HONEY

Steps:

• Simmer lavender flowers in honey over a double boiler for 1 hour.