Ingredients

• 225g/8oz caster sugar
• 150ml/5fl oz full-fat milk
• 300ml/10fl oz double cream
• ½-1 tbsp dried lavender tips (to taste)
• 4 free-range eggs
• lightly beaten
• 175g/6oz unsalted butter
• softened
• plus extra for greasing
• 100g/3½oz icing sugar
• ½-1 tbsp dried lavender tips (to taste)
• 100g/3½oz cornflour
• 200g/7oz plain flour
• 2 tbsp caster sugar (optional)

Directions

• Place six ramekins (7.5cm/3in wide and 4cm/1½in deep) in a deep-sided roasting tray. Preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
• Put 150g/5½oz of the caster sugar in a clean
• heavy-based saucepan and heat over a high heat without stirring until the sugar melts and a golden-brown caramel forms. If you need to move the mixture to prevent it from burning
• swirl the pan from time to time instead of stirring. (Caution: Melted sugar is very hot. Take care when cooking with it.)
• Remove the pan from the heat and carefully add two tablespoons of recently boiled water to the caramel - it will spit and splutter a little
• so keep your face at a safe distance from the pan. Swirl the pan until the sugar and water have combined to form a runnier caramel
• then pour a little into the bottom of each ramekin
• tipping them each this way and that until the caramel has evenly coated the base and sides. Set aside.
• Heat the milk
• cream and lavender in a separate saucepan over a low heat until just simmering.
• Meanwhile
• whisk the eggs and the remaining 75g/2¾oz sugar in a bowl until pale and fluffy.
• Pour the hot milk mixture onto the egg mixture
• whisking continuously until smooth. Strain the mixture into a jug through a fine sieve
• then pour the strained mixture into the ramekins.
• Add enough boiling water to the roasting tray to reach two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Carefully transfer the roasting tray to the oven and bake the crème caramels for 40-45 minutes
• or until just set. Remove from the oven and set aside in the roasting tray until cooled to room temperature.
• When the ramekins are cool enough to handle
• remove from the roasting tray and chill in the fridge for at least an hour.
• For the shortbread
• increase the oven temperature to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 30x20cm/12x8in baking tin with butter.
• Beat the butter and icing sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy
• using an electric whisk. Fold in the lavender
• cornflour and plain flour until the mixture comes together as a firm dough.
• Press the dough into the prepared baking tin using your fingertips to form an even layer of dough about 1cm/½in thick. Prick the dough all over with a fork and sprinkle with the caster sugar
• if using.
• Bake the shortbread in the oven for 12-15 minutes
• or until pale golden-brown and cooked through. Set aside to cool in the tin for a little while
• then break into pieces.
• To serve
• remove the crème caramels from the ramekins by running a knife around the inside of each
• then pressing the knife gently into one side of the crème caramels
• and inverting the ramekins onto upturned serving plates. Serve with pieces of the shortbread alongside.