Lavender Shortbread

Description
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Ingredients

 * 1 1/2 cups (3/4 pound) butter, at room temperature
 * 2/3 cup sugar
 * 2 tablespoons very finely chopped dried lavender buds
 * 2 1/3 cups flour
 * 1/2 cup cornstarch
 * 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

 * Preheat oven to 325°F. Cover bottoms of two baking sheets with parchment or brown paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, lavender with an electric mixer. Mix until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cornstarch, and salt and beat until incorporated. Divide dough in half. Flatten into squares and wrap in plastic. Chill until firm.

On a floured board, roll or pat out each square to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 -inch squares or rounds. Transfer to baking sheets, spacing cookies about 1 inch apart. Prick each cookie several times with a fork. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until pale golden (do not brown). Cool slightly, then transfer to a rack.

Garnish with lavender powdered sugar: put some lavender buds in a sealed jar with the powdered sugar for a day before using the sugar.

Makes about 4 dozen.