Chilly Bakes Gluten Free

Hi Bakers,Want a cake with so many peaches it might just be a serving of fruit? Well, not quite, but it’s a delicious breakfast anyway! Make this gluten-free bake if you want a hearty, moist cake that’s lightly sweet, packed with peaches, and lots of streusel too. I love that it’s sweet enough to feel like a treat but not so sweet that I feel like I shouldn’t have a slice in the morning. This is the perfect companion to a nice cup of tea or coffee. My one complaint about this is that it takes a LONG time to bake. I expected about an hour, but it was closer to 1.5 hours… I still feel like it’s worth making, but factor in time for a long bake. If you can’t find peaches, nectarines work just as well and often have better flavor. I hope you try this one and enjoy savoring a slice before you start your day! ~CarolynGluten-Free Peach Streusel Breakfast CakeMakes one 8”x8” cakeStreusel Topping3/4 cup Cup4Cup gluten-free multipurpose flour1/4 cup blanched almond flour2 teaspoons sweet rice flour1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed1/4 teaspoon salt3 tablespoons melted butter1 teaspoon each ground ginger and cardamomDry ingredients1 3/4 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour (original blend that contains milk powder)1/4 cup blanched almond flour or Cup4Cup flour if you can’t have nuts1 teaspoon sweet rice flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon saltWet1/2 cup butter, softened1 cup granulated sugar1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk1/4 cup 1/2&1/21/4 cup unsweetened applesauce1/2 teaspoon vanilla1/4 teaspoon almond extract2 cups fresh peaches or nectarines, cut into 1/2” piecesOptional garnishpowdered sugarthinly sliced peachesmint or lavender sprigPreheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together streusel ingredients except for the butter. Cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles bread crumbs and has no large chunks. Set aside.In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until well mixed. Add half the dry mixture to the butter and sugar. Mix egg, yolk, 1/2 & 1/2, applesauce, almond extract, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Add the egg mixture to the butter mixture. Next, mix in the remaining flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in the peaches. The batter will be very thick. Scoop and fill the baking pan with half the batter and smooth out the top. Sprinkle half the streusel on top and then add the rest of the batter. Smooth into the corners and sprinkle with the remaining streusel. Press in a bit with a knife. Top the cake with some thin peach slices in a pretty pattern. Bake for about 45 minutes and then check your cake for doneness. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs on it. For this bake, my cake took one and a half hours, which is crazy long! I have no explanation as to why this version of cake took much longer than usual. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a light dusting of powdered sugar. If you are eating the cake right away, I recommend adding some fresh-cut peaches on top. Warning! Do not store the cake with fresh sliced fruit on top, or it will get soggy. Enjoy!

Hi Bakers, If you love lemon, you owe it to yourself to make these bars! Incredibly lemony with a buttery, poppy seed-studded crust, this is something you can’t find anywhere gluten-free, so learn to make it yourself! You can do it, and I guarantee you already have the skills. Pressing dough into a pan and using a mixer are pretty basic ….You’ve got this, and I’m here to show you how. This makes a large pan, and the bars freeze well. Eat them frozen for a chewier version that may be even better than room temperature. Enjoy ~CarolynGluten-Free Lemon Poppy Seed BarsMakes one 9x13” panDry Ingredients1 3/4 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose gluten-free Flour (Original Blend with milk powder)1/4 cup almond flour, blanched1 teaspoon sweet rice flour1/2 cup powdered sugar3/4 -1 tablespoon poppyseeds14 tablespoons butter, softened (1 cup minus 2 tablespoons)Wet Ingredients3 teaspoons lemon zest*6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice4 large eggs1 large egg yolk2 1/2 cups granulated sugar2 1/2 tablespoons Cup4Cup Multipurpose gluten-free flour ( Original formula with milk powder)3/4 teaspoon baking powder3/4 teaspoon saltPreheat the oven to 350°F and place the rack in the middle position. Grease or line a 9” x 13” pan and set aside.In a large bowl, whisk together the flours and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer or pastry blender, thoroughly mix in butter until it makes large soft crumbs. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan and 1/2”-3/4“ up the sides. If the dough is sticky, you can either chill it for 10 minutes before pressing or press it into place with a sheet of parchment or wax paper. Try to get the same thickness of dough in the pan to ensure even baking. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crust is lightly brown. Cool for 10 minutes.While the crust is cooling, start making the filling. Using a large bowl, beat together the eggs, yolk, and sugar. Next, whisk in the juice and zest. Sprinkle in the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix another minute or until well combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix again. The filling will be a light yellow color and smell divine. Pour it into the cooled crust. Bake for about 20 minutes. Rotate the pan in the oven and continue cooking for about 20 more minutes or until the bars are done. If the bars are browning a lot and not done, gently cover them with foil until the cooking is complete. To test for doneness, insert a knife into the center and when it has thickened filling on it, it is done. It will still be jiggly in the middle, and don’t want your knife to come clean! The top of the bars will be well browned. Take the bars out of the oven and cool for 15 minutes. Then, dust with a thick layer of powdered sugar. Run a knife around the edge to keep them from sticking to the pan. Let the bars cool completely and chill. Cut into squares, hide from family if needed, and enjoy! If you chill or freeze the bars, the lemon flavor is even more intense. *if you don’t have a zester, you can use the fine side of a cheese grater.

Hi Bakers, No one wants to make donuts, but being gluten-free, I can’t find a great one…So I’m making them. Here is what to expect from this recipe: a classic chocolate cake flavor with a moist, slightly dense crumb. Sweet white chocolate ganache adds richness and a beautiful glaze to these. Swap out the white chocolate for dark if you want the uber chocolate experience. You can make this! It’s quick, easy ,and I know you will love them as much as I do. I hope you try them and send me pictures of your creation. Silicone mold and piping bag were bought online and are recommended equipment. Enjoy~CarolynGluten-free Chocolate Donuts with White Chocolate Icing Adapted from King Arthur Flour’s recipe for Chocolate Fudge Donuts. Dry Ingredients 1 cup Cup4Cup Multipurpose gluten-free  Flour (original Blend with milk powder)1/4 cup blanched almond flour3/4 cup light brown sugar1/2 cup cocoa powder1 teaspoon sweet rice flour1/2 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon espresso powder Wet Ingredients8 tablespoons melted butter, cooled to room temperature2 large eggs1/4 cup milk +1 tablespoon4 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce1 teaspoon vanilla1 teaspoon white vinegarIcing12 ounces white chocolate (I use chips for this)4 ounces of cream Decorationssprinkles, cocoa nibs, mini chocolate chipsPreheat the oven to 350°F. Oil the donut molds and place them on a cookie sheet. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. Pour the wet into the dry and mix until just combined. Scrape the bowl to make sure it mixes thoroughly. The dough will be very thick. Pipe or scoop into the donut pan and smooth out the top. Do not overfill or the donuts will be misshapen. Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the donut springs back when touched. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then remove it from the mold to cool completely on a rack. Heat the cream and white chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments. Stir after each time and continue heating until smooth but not boiling. This should only take 1 minute or so. Let ganache cool slightly for a thicker coating or use immediately for a lighter coat. Dip the donut into white chocolate icing and swirl gently to coat. Immediately decorate with sprinkles or other decorations. Let the ganache set for 10 minutes and enjoy. Donuts are best eaten the day they are made, so dig in!  

Hi Bakers, This might be the best scone you ever had. It’s buttery and tender with a zesty orange flavor and sweet tiny currants in every bite. The easy recipe that takes minutes to mix and only 15 to bake. This is one of my favorite scones to eat and share. Try this for your next Sunday brunch or when you want something flakey and delicious with your cup of coffee. Enjoy~CarolynGluten-Free Orange Currant SconesMakes twelve 2” sconesDRY2 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour1/2 cup blanched almond flour 1 teaspoon Koda Farms Sweet Rice flour1/2 teaspoon salt1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda4 tablespoons granulated sugar1/2 cup cold butter, cut into chunks2 teaspoons orange zestWET1 large egg2 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce1/2 cup buttermilk1/4 cup fresh orange juice1/2 cup dried currants, cherries or cranberriesOptional: cream or egg wash for brushing the tops, large grain sugarPreheat the oven to 400F and place the rack in the middle position. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and sugar. Add the cold butter and cut into the dry mixture until it resembles crumbs with a few larger bits of butter remaining. Stir in the orange zest. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together leaving out the dried fruit. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until almost combined. Add the currants and continue stirring until just mixed. The dough will be soft but it can be shaped with a bit of care. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured counter and pat it into a circle. The height of the dough should be about 3/4 inch tall. Cut the scones with a 2" cutter and them on a lined cookie sheet. Next, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar. The scones will brown better with an egg wash. Bake for about 10-14 minutes or until browned on top and firm in the middle. Cool on a rack and enjoy:)  

Hi Bakers, This dessert failed…sort of. Creme brûlée without a torch?…Not so simple! I wanted to try both sugar and toffee as the topping in case people didn’t want to make the toffee. Regular sugar didn’t caramelize under the broiler and completely heated the custard. Thankfully, the toffee bits melted quickly and were amazing. Espresso Toffee Creme Brûlée is naturally gluten-free and easy to make. The combination of toffee and custard is phenomenal and something you can’t get in a restaurant. I used milk and cream for a lighter custard, but if you want something richer, reduce the amount of milk to 1/4 cup and increase the heavy cream amount to 2 3/4 cups. Sorry, this video was a hot mess but it was a good experiment in making something I had never tried before! Enjoy ~Carolyn Note; Ramekin size stated wrong on the video but the correct size is listed in recipe!  Espresso Toffee Creme Brulée  makes 6 ramekins 3.5” x 1.5” 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 1/2 cup whole milk 1 1/2 tablespoons instant espresso powder 5  large egg yolks  1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract pinch of salt Garnish whipped cream toffee bits Preheat oven to 300F and place rack in the middle position. Line a 9” x13” baking pan with a small towel and place greased ramekins on top of it. Set aside. Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside. In a heavy saucepan, stir together cream, milk, espresso and salt. Heat  and stir milk mixture until bubbling but not boiling. Slowly add a cup of hot milk mixture to the egg yolks while whisking. Pour egg yolk milk mixture through a fine mesh strainer into saucepan with remaining milk. Whisk together well. Ladle into prepared ramekins. Add 1 1/2 inches of warm water to baking pan containing ramekins being careful not to get water into them them. Carefully place pan into the oven and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until just set but still jiggling in the middle. Remove from water containing pan and let cool to room temperature. Cool overnight in the fridge or at least a few hours. Prepare toffee topping with recipe below or buy plan toffee to use as topping. Toffee Topping 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons water 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat while stirring until mixture reaches 305F or hard crack stage. You can measure with a candy thermometer or other favorite method. I like to drop some into cold water and if it’s hard and shatters when you bite it, that’s hard crack. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla extract. Pour onto a silicone mat or marble slab. Cool and break into chunks saving some for garnish. Chop toffee with a large knife into small pieces to cover brûlée and broil as topping. How to broil toffee topping Set the oven to low broil and place rack in the top position. Add chopped toffee to cover about 1 tablespoon per ramekin. Broil for a few minutes or until toffee melts but doesn’t brown. Add a sprinkle of large grain salt and serve immediately. If  melting takes more than a few minutes in your oven, chill to reset the brûlée and toffee for 10 minutes. Garnish with whipped cream and chopped toffee bits right before serving. Do not broil toffee topping and leave overnight, the toffee top starts to get soft and butter that was melted gets solid and not in a good way.

HI Bakers, This is a great hand waffle.  If you want a regular waffle this isn’t it…These gluten-free Pumpkin Liege waffles are made from a yeast dough studded with lots of pearl sugar bits which makes them sweet enough to eat plain. There is pumpkin in the dough too but honestly you can’t really taste it. Expect a sweet yeasty waffle that’s a perfect grab and go treat. They make the perfect brunch buffet dish because they’re easy to make ahead and delicious at room temperature. I hope you try these fun and tasty waffles that keep you reaching for just one more! Enjoy! ~Carolyn Gluten-Free Pumpkin Liege Waffles  Modified from Bountiful Kitchen’s recipe Yeast solution 3/4 cup warm milk 1 packet instant yeast Wet 1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder soaked in 1/4 cup water to form a gel 2 large eggs 1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 10 tablespoons melted butter (plus more to grease waffle iron) Dry 3 cups Cup4Cup gluten-free Multipurpose Flour 1/2 cup blanched almond flour 2 tablespoons light brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 6 ounces Belgian pearl sugar** Combine the yeast and warm milk by whisking together. Set aside and let it get foamy. In a very small bowl, stir psyllium husk powder and water together and let this sit until a gel forms. Whisk together dry ingredient making sure the sugar is well distributed. In a medium bowl, stir together wet ingredients (including psyllium get) and yeast. Add the combined dry ingredients and stir well. Make sure the gel mixes in completely. Stir in the pearl sugar and form into 12 patties. Let rise on a warm greased cookie sheet or parchment until doubled in size. Heat up the waffle iron. Grease the iron liberally with butter and put one of the patties in the center. Cook according to the waffle iron directions. Let cool on a wire rack and continue cooking the rest of the dough. Serve with a powdered sugar dusting and some fresh fruit or your favorite. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheat before eating. ** I ordered mine online

Hi Bakers,  These vanilla cupcakes are the best I’ve ever eaten. You know the bakes that you want to hide a few to make sure you get to eat more than one? This is that kind of dessert. They are moist with the perfect amount of vanilla flavor and soft crumb. I love the deep, rich caramel icing slathered on top with an extra drizzle of real caramel syrup. They are decadent and amazingly gluten-free. You will need a napkin or two to eat these but it will be a mess well worth eating. Enjoy ~Carolyn Vanilla Bean Cupcakes with Browned Butter Caramel Icing Makes 12 cupcakes  Caramel syrup 1 cup granulated sugar pinch of salt 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 3/4 cup water Vanilla Bean Cupcakes Dry 1 1/4 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose flour 1/4 cup blanched almond flour 1/2 teaspoon sweet rice flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 tablespoon baking powder pinch baking soda Wet 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 cup minus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 large egg plus one egg yolk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce 1/4 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons milk Browned Butter Caramel Icing 3 cups powdered sugar 1/2 cup browned butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1.5 tablespoons caramel syrup ~2 tablespoons milk Caramel  Prepare the caramel syrup by heating sugar in a flat non-stick skillet over medium heat. When the sugar starts to melt, use a heatproof spatula and stir gently to mix the unmelted sugar into the melted and keep it from burning. If sugar clumps onto the spatula, scrape it off and let it melt into the rest of the caramel. Continue heating and gently mixing until all the sugar is melted and the caramel is dark amber-colored. Remove from the heat and add salt and vanilla. Gradually add the water and return to the heat. Boil gently while stirring until the syrup is smooth. You want the thickness of pancake syrup, so continue cooking if the syrup is too thin. Remove from the heat and cool before using. You can make this the day before you bake the cupcakes, but keep it at room temperature so you can drizzle it. Store for a longer period in a lidded jar in the fridge for up to two weeks. Cupcakes Preheat the oven to 350F and set the rack to the middle position of the oven. Grease or line the cupcake pan. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together dry ingredients and set aside. În a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until well creamed. Add the egg, egg yolk and beat well. Add the vanilla, applesauce and milks beating and scraping after adding. Next, beat in the dry ingredients until just mixed. Scoop cupcakes into pan to fill 3/4 of the way from the top. Bake in the oven for about 15-20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back when touched in the middle. Cool completely.  Browned Butter Caramel Icing Once the cupcakes are cool, prepare the icing. Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat while stirring. The butter will melt, foam up, and then start browning. Continue cooking until you see golden brown milk solids at the bottom of the pan. Immediately remove from the heat. The icing is easier to mix if you cool the browned butter first, but you can use it right away too but you will need to mix it a bit longer. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and beat well. The icing will be crumbly at this point. Add caramel and beat in. Next, add milk one tablespoon at a time until icing comes together and is smooth and creamy. Frost cupcakes immediately since the icing will firm up as it sits. Drizzle with a bit of caramel syrup right before eating.

Hi Bakers! Grab a mug of tea and a warm, buttery cinnamon-sugar-covered apple cider donut. Take a big bite and savor the sweet apple flavor with a crunchy sugar exterior. If you bake anything this Fall, make these iconic donuts! They’ll bring a smile to your face and you’ll be glad it’s apple season! Concentrated cider in the dough makes these treats smell and taste divine. Don’t want to stand over the stove for 30 minutes to cook the cider down? No problem, I have an easy hack you can use instead. This is one of my most loved recipes and I hope you adore it too! Enjoy! ~Carolyn Gluten-Free Apple Cider Donuts Revised for gluten-free from Sally’s Baking Addiction makes 12 donuts (unless you overfill them like I usually do!) Dry Ingredients 1¾ cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose gluten-free flour ¼ cup blanched almond flour 1½ teaspoons sweet rice flour ¾ teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon nutmeg Wet Ingredients 3 tablespoons melted butter ½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup light brown sugar 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract ¼ cup 2% milk ¼ cup applesauce, unsweetened ¼ cup apple cider, (reduced amount)****  For rolling Melted butter  Cinnamon Sugar (In a wide shallow cereal bowl combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon.) Directions: ****Begin by pouring 1½ cups of apple cider into a medium-sized saucepan. Heat until boiling over medium heat until cider is reduced to ¼ cup. This will take about 30 minutes. If you don’t want to reduce the cider, you can use apple juice concentrate instead. Simply thaw it and measure out ¼ cup.  Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Oil the donut pans, and set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together and set aside.  Mix melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl until well combined.  Add egg, vanilla, milk, reduced cider, applesauce, and mix well. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.  Spoon the batter into a piping or large ziplock bag and twist the end shut. Then, cut the tip off the bag so you have a 3/4” inch opening. Pipe the batter into the donut pan so it is about ¾ full. Batter is very thick so this takes some work. Bake the donuts for 10-12 minutes until the donut springs back when touched with your finger. Cool for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Dip the donuts in melted butter, front and back, and then coat in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Donuts are best eaten the day they are made but will be good in the fridge for another day. Heat briefly in the microwave if desired.

Hi Bakers, If you’re afraid to make a pie, make this first! Pandowdy is like a pie for dummies. It has all the same ingredients and taste but you only make the top crust and it’s cut into pieces too. Peach Blueberry Pandowdy takes advantage of the last summer fruits before Fall is in full swing. This lightly sweet peachy dessert with buttery crust pieces on top is just perfect for an easy weekend treat. Make this today and see how easy it can be! Enjoy! ~Carolyn Gluten-Free Peach Blueberry Pandowdy Modified from Cook’s Illustrated’s Apple Pandowdy recipe. makes a 10” skillet Gluten-Free Pie Dough ** Makes 1 pandowdy crust 1 cup Cup4Cup Multipurpose flour 1/2  teaspoon sweet rice flour 1/2  teaspoon whey protein isolate, unflavored 1/8  teaspoon xanthan gum 1/4  teaspoon salt 1/2  teaspoon sugar 1/3  cup butter, cold 1 tablespoon shortening 1 3/4 tablespoons cold water Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter and shortening. The mixture should resemble crumbs with a few pea-sized butter bits. Sprinkle in the cold water gradually while mixing with a fork until the mixture starts to form larger clumps. Add only as much water as needed to form a dough. Press dough into a ball and pat or roll out on a floured surface to about a ⅛” thick circle. Using cookie cutters or a knife cut the dough into pieces about 2-3 inches in diameter.  Set aside and prepare the peach blueberry filling. Peach Blueberry Filling 5 cups fresh peaches or nectarines, sliced 1/4-1/2” thick 1  cup blueberries 1/3-1/2 cup granulated sugar (add the greater amount if you want it sweeter) 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons cornstarch  2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon melted butter Preheat the oven to 400F and place your rack in the middle position.  In a small bowl, mix together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Mix peaches, blueberries, lemon zest, and juice in a large bowl. Next, gently stir in the sugar mixture. Melt butter in a 10” high-sided metal skillet that can be used in the oven. Add the fruit to the pan and then cover with cut pieces of pie dough. Brush the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove from the oven. Using a large flat spoon, gently press the fruit down to get some juice and then spoon over the dough pieces a bit.  Bake an additional 15 minutes or until the crust has browned. Cool for 15 minutes and top with vanilla ice cream.  ** The original recipe makes enough crust almost to cover the top, if you want more coverage use the doubled recipe below For more crust, use this Doubled Crust Recipe 2 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose flour 1  teaspoon sweet rice flour 1  teaspoon whey protein isolate, unflavored 1/4  teaspoon xanthan gum 1/2 teaspoon salt 1  teaspoon sugar 2/3  cup butter, cold 2 tablespoons shortening 2-4 tablespoons cold water

Hi Bakers, Lavender Lemon Panna Cotta is the queen of no-bake desserts. Elegant, bright, creamy and floral. This is everything you’d expect an Italian dessert to be. This is phenomenal and perfect…I make a lot of treats but I don’t say that too often! You need to eat this at least once in your lifetime. Treat yourself to something truly special and surprisingly quick and easy. I adore this dessert and I know you will too. Savor every bite of this one ~Carolyn #food #foodvideo #pannacotta #glutenfree #italiandessert #easy #lemon #lavender #recipe  Lavender Lemon Panna Cotta with Blackberries Makes one 5” mold Recipe modified from the Lemon Panna Cotta Recipe from All Recipes.com  1 packet unflavored gelatin (0.25 ounces) 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup granulated sugar 2 cups cream 1 cup half&half  1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 fresh sprigs lavender zest of one lemon Sprinkle the gelatin over 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to soften it. Let sit for 5 minutes. Stir if needed to hydrate. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cream, and half&half over medium heat until the mixture is simmering and sugar is dissolved. Add the softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove from the heat and stir in lemon zest. Cool for about 4.5 hours overnight in the fridge. The Panna cotta will save for a day or two but be sure to cover the dessert with plastic wrap to keep them fresh. To un-mold, set the mold in hot water for a few seconds to loosen it. You will see the dessert getting  melted a bit on the edges. Immediately, place a plate or bowl over mold and turn upside down. If you are having trouble getting it free, just let it sit a bit longer in the water. Mine sat too long in heat and melted more than I had wanted. It still looks pretty and tastes delicious anyway! Garnish with  homemade lavender flower syrup, blackberries and fresh lavender flowers. Use some lemon slices or rind if you want a bit of bright color on top. Enjoy! Lavender Flower Syrup 2 tablespoon fresh lavender flowers*  1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 cup water 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 teaspoons dried culinary lavender flowers 5-7 blueberries (used to color the syrup) and/or a few drops of red and blue food coloring Boil the fresh lavender, sugar and water until the sugar dissolves and the liquid thickens to a thin syrup consistency. Add the vanilla, blueberries and dried lavender. Bring to a boil. Taste the syrup, If you want more flavor, add a bit more dried lavender and bring to a boil cooking until the syrup thickens. Remove from the heat. Strain into a jar and add a few drops of red food coloring to change the color if desired. Chill until needed. * One tablespoon is about six small sprigs worth. Make sure the flowers are unsprayed and washed.