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Lavender Brownies

Lavender Brownies

The Local Flavor of Lavender

serves 16-20

1 cup sugar

1 tsp dried culinary lavender buds

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

6 tbsp unsalted butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 cup walnuts or pecan pieces, chopped

Lavender Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)

Lavender Chocolate Ganache

1 cup heavy cream

1 tbsp dried culinary lavender buds

12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, cut into chunks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter sides and bottom of an 8×8 inch or 9×13 inch pan. Line with parchment paper, and spray the paper with cooking spray.

Pulse sugar and lavender together in a processor until lavender is finely chopped.  Using a sifter or strainer, sift lavender pieces out of sugar.  Set lavender sugar aside.

Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave using short 15 second bursts, stirring well until smooth and melted.  Add salt, vanilla, and lavender sugar; blend well.  Add eggs and stir to blend.  Add flour and pecans; stir well.  Scrape into prepared pan and smooth top.  Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until edges are slightly set and corner is still moist.  Coll in pan.

Warm cream and dried lavender in a small saucepan until mixture just begins starts to simmer.  Cover pan and remove from heat.  Allow mixture to steep and infuse for approximately 15 minutes.  Strain lavender from cream and return cream to saucepan.  Bring cream to a simmer again. Remove from heat, add chocolate chunks, and stir until melted and smooth.

Frost brownies with Lavender Chocolate Ganache and allow to set at room temperature until brownies are slightly firm to touch.  Pull brownies from pan using edges of parchment paper.  Cut as desired.