Lemon Lavender Chocolate Truffles

This recipe is a really good variation to traditional truffle recipes that is gluten, dairy, soy and nut free with a tart, savory flavor. The centers are so light and fluffy. These would be great coated in chocolate also but I liked the cocoa/sugar dusting on the outside. Makes about 30 truffles

1 pkg of chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)

1 can coconut milk (or 1 cup whipping cream for dairy version)

1 tsp lemon juice and zest

1 tsp fresh lavender, finely chopped

1 tsp vanilla

Coating

½ cup powdered sugar

1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp lavender, finely chopped

• In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips. 
• While chocolate is melting, open your can of coconut milk. The coconut cream rises to the top while the liquid settles at the bottom. You want about ½ cup of the coconut cream and ¼ cup of the coconut milk liquid (save the rest for another recipe). 
• Once chips are melted, blend in coconut milk and cream, lemon juice and zest, lavender and vanilla using a mixer over medium speed. Blend for about 5 minutes or until mixture is smooth. 
• Chill in bowl for about 30 minutes. Spoon teaspoons of mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and chill for another 30 minutes. 
• Once truffles have hardened, roll into smooth balls.
• In a small bowl, combine coating mixture. Roll truffle balls into coating mix until covered. Keep refrigerated in a sealed container. 

Lemon Thyme Bread Braid

I’ve said this before, but I love bread. I love everything about eating it and baking it. I love the kneading, the rolling, the rising, the smell – I love it all. This gluten free bread tastes and smells amazing. It would be perfect with a bowl of warm soup in the fall/winter or alongside a quick salad in the spring/summer. My one note (as you will see in the picture) is to make sure you don’t forget about your rising bread braid or it could turn into a bread turkey. Yes – my boys said this tasted great but it did resemble a turkey – not so much a braid. Don’t worry – I’ll bake again and post a better (more braid-like) photo!

1 pkg of Bob’s Red Mill Homemade Wonderful Bread mix

2 whole eggs
2 egg whites
1 ½ cup warm almond milk
¼ cup olive oil
1 tsp tarragon vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme
Potato starch for kneading bread

• In a small bowl, mix the contents of the yeast package (from the bread mix) with the warm milk and let set for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, blend bread mix, eggs, vinegar, oil and yeast mixture with a mixer for about 2-3 minutes.
• Pour dough mixture on to a clean surface dusted with potato starch. Sprinkle the top of the dough ball with a little starch to keep your hands from sticking. Knead dough a few times and separate into three equal pieces. Form each piece into long skinny strips. Mine ended up being about 2 inches thick and 10 inches long. Braid the strips of dough together. Place on a greased baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for about 30 minutes.
• Note: Don’t let the dough rise too long (I forgot about mine for about an hour).
• Bake the braid for about 40-50 minutes at 350 °F or until cooked through and slightly brown.
• If your bread starts browning too quickly, cover bread with foil and continue cooking. Remove from oven and let cool for about an hour.

Lavender Scones with Lemon Glaze

This may sound like more of a spring recipe but believe it or not – I get tired of pumpkin about now. It’s probably because I go a little overboard with it as soon as fall starts. Regardless, I really wanted a fresh, citrus breakfast dish today and this turned out wonderful! Lemon and lavender just go together perfect. Lavender is one of my favorite herbs; it’s just comforting. Scones can be very intimidating. What I have found through trial and lots of error is that you can’t really skimp out on the butter. I’ve tried butter substitutes before (applesauce, banana, etc) and it just doesn’t work. I don’t like adding a stick of butter to anything so this time I just used part butter, part applesauce. It turned out pretty good! Still flaky but also crisp enough like a scone. If it doesn’t turn out right the first time – don’t give up – just keep trying!

¾ cup sweet white sorghum flour

½ cup white rice flour
½ cup tapioca starch
½ cup potato starch
¼ cup stevia or sugar
1 tsp xanthan gum
2 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
1 ½ Tbsp fresh cut lavender
¼ cup butter, cold cut into small chunks (I used non-dairy)
¼ cup coconut oil, cold cut into small chunks
¼ cup applesauce
½ cup plain yogurt
½ cup almond milk
1 Tbsp honey
Zest of 1 lemon
Glaze
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tsp almond milk
½ cup (or more)of powdered sugar

• In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients, lavender and lemon zest. Cut in butter, coconut oil and applesauce until mixture resembles coarse crumbles.
• Add in yogurt and milk until dough forms. Pour dough onto a clean, floured surface.
• Knead dough 5-6 times and then form into a circle about 1 inch thick. Cut into 8 slices and place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
• Bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes or until scones are cooked through and slightly brown. Let cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes.
• While scones are baking, place lemon juice, milk and powdered sugar into a small bowl and whisk together. Add in additional sugar to get desired consistency.
• Drizzle glaze over warm scones and serve.

Lemon Mint Jam

Here’s the start of week two of my canning recipes. Again – I have lots of mint. I also have a friend that is pregnant. She is still in her first trimester and is having a lot of morning (all day) sickness. Having two children myself, I know all too well about morning sickness. What my friend has found and what I knew to be helpful was lemon. Not sure exactly why the sour taste of lemon seems to calm the tummy but it does. In hopes to helping her feel better, I decided to try out this lemon jam recipe. It’s really more similar to a marmalade but it is tasty anyway! This is great on crackers or toast. My mother even put it over a cheesecake filling for dessert. You can always add more sugar or sweetener but if you make the recipe as I did, it is still pretty tart and that’s how we like it!

 

1 bag of lemons (about 12 large – you’ll end up with about 4 cups of blended lemon)

1 cup of honey (or other sweetener)
¼ cup of fresh mint, finely chopped

• In a food processor or blender, blend lemons, rind and all with the mint.
• In a large stockpot combine lemon mixture and honey. Bring to boiling and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Ladle jam into prepared glass jars and finish preparing jars as desired.  The acidity in the lemons help preserve the jam and the rind helps give the jam some texture but doesn’t add a bitter taste. This recipe makes about 4 half pint jars.