Hello there everyone! Long time no contact. I've been a little busy with some new things in my life and haven't been spending much time at home in the kitchen. Last night I went on a food documentary binge and was reminded that I have been neglecting my creative culinary hobby. So here you go- a new post about an old project. Compromise. 

Yesterday it snowed and today it is sunny and Thursday it is supposed to be in the 60s. So I guess that means spring is on its way and I couldn't be happier. I'm ready for a little bit of temperate weather and for verdancy to return to the land. My Mom has gotten out her Easter decorations and soon there will be fresh, green vegetables all over the supermarket. It's almost time to pack away those stick-to-your-ribs recipes. 

One dessert that seems to fit perfectly with the spring season is petits fours; a delicate cake usually frosted in (annoying) pastels and topped with an (equally annoying) iced flower. (If you don't believe me just google it.) For those of you who don't know me very well, I despise pastels. I will not wear clothes in pastels and I will not buy anything in pastel colours. Easter merchandise is basically like Kryptonite to me. But I love petits fours. I always have. They are the perfect tea party food: small, impressive, and usually found in a variety of flavours. 

Which is why Lis and I made them for our tea party. Except we left out the pastels. 

This is another one of those recipes where Lis pretty much did all the real work and I just photographed her efforts. The batter was a light sponge cake poured into mini molds specifically made for petits fours. The molds come in fun little shapes - a nice change from the standard square. 

We had decided to split the petits fours into four different types. After the cakes cooled we cut each one in half and then soaked them in different liquids. There was a lemon simple syrup, a lavender simple syrup, maple syrup-whiskey, and coffee-whiskey. The next step once the cakes dried a bit was filling them. The maple-whiskey ones were filled with caramel; the coffee-whiskey with nutella, and the lemon and lavender ones we filled half with lemon curd and half with a whipped cream. 

After filling the petits fours get iced. The maple-whiskey and coffee-whiskey ones were covered in a chocolate ganache and the lemon and lavender ones were iced with a white-chocolate ganache. Then in place of the traditional little icing flower we topped each petits four with either a bit of lemon zest, lavender, candied ginger, or coffee bean. 

They weren't lofty little cubes. They weren't perfectly iced in smooth, pastel colours. But they were absolutely delicious and exactly what a tea cake should be- light, interesting, delicate, and not so sweet that you can't eat more than one. 

So if you are throwing a "welcome home, spring" party or even hosting an Easter brunch, be sure to include some petits fours. Trust me- it'll be a nice detour from carrot cake. 

It's been fairly cloudy and rainy here this weekend- the perfect setup for hot tea, a good book and shortbread. I've been pondering the lavender shortbread combination for a while and the grey skies provided the right amount of impetus to actually get it done. 

Lavender is a strong ingredient, heady, and, obviously, floral. It's not an ingredient you see used too often in food. If you can get past your prejudice about lavender being fit only for potpourri and lotion, it just might grow on you as an edible flavor. 

I used this Classic Shortbread Recipe as the base for my creation, but of course I made a few changes. I balanced the lavender with a little lemon zest and vanilla extract. It's fairly easy to make if you have a stand mixer; preparation is quick and involves really very little effort. (My favourite kind of baking!)

I didn't chill my dough before I baked it and I think it turned out just fine. It takes an hour or more to bake, but I'm telling you, it's worth it. Shortbread is already decadent (so much butter!) but the lavender and lemon really take this simple pastry beyond normal tea party fare. 

Give it a try - even if you're a coffee person.