Herb up your baking

When watching movies set in the quaint settings of the countryside in the 1950s, you often see a beautiful and homely kitchen with a golden apple pie cooling on the windowsill or the comforting sight of a cookie jar being opened to share homemade delights.

As I glance at my own cookie jar, cutely shaped as Sylvester & Tweety (a cartoon series about a cat and a bird the cat tried to eat – funnier than it sounds) I can't help but feel a twinge of nostalgia.

It's been far too long since this jar has been filled with the sweet treasures it was designed to hold. It seems these days, baking cookies is preserved for Christmas.

My mum used to bake cookies for Christmas – she had one dough recipe that she used and I tend to still use this as well if I want to make very simple versions.

I love the flavour of lemon as it transports me to sun-drenched afternoons spent amidst my herb bed in the back garden. Lemon, with its bright and zesty notes, pairs seamlessly with a variety of herbs, each imparting its own unique character to the humble cookie.

I used to make cookies with either lemon verbena (I have a lovely plant growing in the garden) which results in a stunning aroma but lemon also goes perfectly with rosemary and thyme (not in the same recipe).

With my rosemary plant thriving and dominating the herb garden, it's time for some creative solutions. Trimming it back generously not only ensures the growth of other herbs but also presents an opportunity to explore new ideas to use this aromatic herb.

One enticing idea is infusing honey with rosemary, allowing its fragrant essence to slowly infuse the sweet nectar. This infused honey will elevate your morning toast to new heights.

Another favourite of mine is incorporating chopped rosemary into bread dough. The herb's robust flavour adds depth to the bread, creating a rustic loaf with a savoury edge.

And there's nothing quite like a refreshing glass of homemade rosemary lemonade to accompany a barbecue (here’s to a BBQ worthy summer). Infused with the essence of freshly picked rosemary, this delicious drink is a perfect balance of sweet and savoury.

For those nurturing a thyme plant in their garden, its potential extends far beyond savoury dishes like stuffing or mashed potatoes. Much like rosemary, thyme proves to be a versatile herb that beautifully complements sweet baking.

Consider infusing its delicate flavour into a classic lemon shortbread, where the herbal notes of thyme add a fragrant twist to the buttery sweetness. Alternatively, explore the beautiful combination in a honey cake.

Experimenting with thyme or other herbs in your sweet baking adventures adds a unique twist that's sure to delight your taste buds.

And maybe, your own cookie jar gets filled in the future with cookies that you can’t find mass-produced in the supermarket.