Lemon and lavender is a delicious combination that I recently discovered. This pie is my attempt at baking something for the new year which is light and fresh, not too sweet but is also yummy enough to brighten a dull, grey January day!

Ingredients:-

For the pastry

225g plain flour

125g cold butter, diced

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1 tablespoon lavender flowers

1 egg

For the filling

397g tin condensed milk

3 medium eggs

Juice and zest of two lemons

Method:-

Preheat the oven to 190c and grease a 20cm loose bottomed flan tin.

Make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour lightly, then mixing in the lavender and sugar and finally mix the egg in to bind the ingredients. This can be wrapped and popped into the fridge while the filling is made.

Beat the condensed milk, eggs lemon juice and zest together well.

Roll out the pastry and line the sides and bottom of the flan tin with it. Pour in the filling and place in the oven for about 30 – 35 minutes. The pastry should look golden brown and the filling should be set but still a little soft.

The condensed milk adds a sweetness without the pie being too sweet as a whole and the lemon is very subtle. The lavender added to the pastry gives a lovely flavour combination with the lemon. I finished mine off by sprinkling a little sieved icing sugar and a few lavender flowers over the top. I found this bake to be lovely eaten cold with a cup of lemon tea!

NB. I have lots of dried lavender flowers from my garden but if you don’t have access to lavender you could try making the pastry lemony by adding lemon zest.

Happy New Year!