I am wanting to make lavendar shortbread and just wondered if any kind of lavendar can be used or are there some varieties which are not edible? Any help would be appreciated!!! thanks :-))

My understanding is that it is the English Lavender "lavender angustifolia" that is the type to use for cooking. The other varieties have too much of a camphory taste.
The English lavender does not have the big "bunny" ears at the top of the flower.
Sue

Please let us know how you get on. I am curious and have often wanted to try it but that camphory smell somehow leaves me doubting....
Helen

well, i made the lavender shortbread last night. I only had French laveneder, but it still worked really well. If anyone wants to try it, the recipe is a Donna Hay recipe and is as follows:

220g butter
1 c castor sugar
1 egg
2 c flour
1/2 c cornflour
1 tbsp lavender buds
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest

cream butter and sugar, beat in egg. stir in rest of ingredients to make a soft dough. I refrigerated itn for about 30 minutes at this point. then rolled out, cut into 4cm rounds and baked at 160 for 15-20 minutes. It made about 45 biscuits

Tammy I am interested was the shortbread really fragrant and did it taste as lavender smells?
Helen:-D

You can tell that it is lavender, but it's not perfumey at all. I think
the lemon cut through that perfumed flavour. But it looks really pretty
with the lavender through it. In the latest home and garden magazine,
there is a recipe for pansy sable biscuits, with chopped pansies through
them and a crystallised pansy on top. I thought I would try those
next!!! Not everyday biscuits obviously, but they look really pretty as
a gift!!