Lemon, Lavender Shortbread

After shoveling what felt like entirely too much snow for the the first week of April,  I came inside feeling like infusing the snowy day with something more spring-like... something bright, something fragrant and delicious.

This thought of infusing the day with some light made me think about reading one of Mabel's favourite picture books to her when she was younger, Mrs. Biddlebox, written by the late Linda Smith and illustrated by the very talented Marla Frazee, illustrator of All the World and author and illustrator of The Farmer and the Clown.

Mrs. Biddlebox has woken up "on the wrong side of her bunk" and resolves to tackle the gloomy day head on...  "I will cook this rotten morning!  I will turn it into cake!  I will fire up my oven!  I will set the day to bake!"

Anyone who knows Mabel will appreciate that she (and her sweet tooth!) loved this notion of turning the dark, dank day into something delicious, ever-hopeful after reading the book that we too might "turn the day into cake".  :)

I turned the day into Lemon, Lavender Shortbread and "set the day to bake".

1 cup of soft butter
1/4 cup each white sugar and icing sugar
1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder
A pinch of salt
2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 Tablespoon of dried culinary lavender
The zest of a bright, yellow lemon

Beat the butter and sugars together.  Stir in the vanilla.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, lavender and lemon zest and add to your creamed butter.

Stir to combine.

Divide the dough in half and pat each half into a stoneware shortbread disk or an 8 inch baking dish or save one half in the fridge to bake later.

Prick the surface of the dough with a fork and sprinkle with some course sugar.

Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven until golden (about 35 minutes).

Cool slightly and cut into wedges.