L is for Love, Lavender, and Lavender Macarons
Lavender Haiku
Tall and slender spikes
Sway gracefully in the wind
Elegant fragrance
Lavender symbolism includes love, purity, devotion, serenity, grace, calmness, happiness, and peace. Just looking at the spires standing majestically above the plant, swaying in the breeze can put you in a state of serenity and happiness. The aroma is so calming, making you feel like drifting into a peaceful sleep. Lavender's violet flowers are considered to be the most delicate and precious in nature. An arrangement with these beautiful blossoms sends a message of feminine beauty.
I tried to capture the symbolism of lavender in these lavender macarons.
Bouchon Bakery cookbook I used the recipe for the Italian meringue macarons which I discussed in the blog post, macarons for a wedding. For the shells I added dried lavender buds to the almond flour and powdered sugar mixture and ground this in a food processor. The mixture was then sifted. To intensify the flavor, I added a splash of lavender extract to the meringue before making the macaronage. The piped macaron shells were allowed to dry, then baked at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for fifteen minutes, turning half way through. The macaron shells were allowed to cool on a rack, then paired together.
The macaron filling was a circle of homemade lavender & blueberry jell buttercream with a bullseye of the lavender & blueberry jell. For the jell, I made a lavender infused simple syrup. The lavender syrup was added to fresh blueberries that were cooked on the stovetop in lemon juice and crushed to break down the berries. This was then simmered for thirty minutes and allowed to cool to room temperature.
Lavender macaron with lavender & blueberry buttercream filling.
Lavender macarons plated with a bunch of lavender from my garden. The L is for love, lavender, and lavender macarons.
The calligraphy was by my daughter-in-law Beth. You need to check out her creations at bethhuntcalligraphy.com.