Lavender is a veritable all-rounder. Highly regarded for its fragrance since time immemorial, it is used for medicinal purposes due to its positive effect on the psyche and organism. Many scientific studies highlight the soothing and relaxing effect of true lavender and lavender oil. In cooking, lavender is a fashionable spice and adds an interesting note to many dishes. Nowadays It even can be found in the well-known spice blend "Herbes de Provence" for example.

A fancy extra – lavender honey
Lavender honey is a special delicacy because it is very rare, but incredibly flavourful. Some call it the King of Honeys. Its colour ranges from ivory to straw yellow depending upon where it was grown and which type of lavender was used. In any case, it is very light, delicately creamy, gently aromatic and very mild in taste. Lavender honey is usually produced in the Provence and southern France, as the largest and most beautiful lavender fields are located there. Beekeepers set up their hives directly on the perimeters of the lavender fields to ensure that the bees exclusively gather nectar from the lavender flowers. Lavender's blossom is brief, allowing only small amounts of honey to be made. This honey is, however, of high quality.

A unique combination of lavender honey and lemon opens up a new world of epicurean delights and adds an incomparable flavour to this dessert. Lot of success in giving it a try and bon appétit!

Preparation:

• For the sponge cake, lightly roast almonds in a small coated pan. Let cool.
• Using a hand mixer, beat eggs with water, vanilla sugar and honey until thick and frothy. Mix flour with baking powder and sieve onto the mixture. Add almonds. Quickly stir into the mixture.
• Line baking sheet with baking parchment. Evenly spread dough onto the sheet, forming a square approx. 30 x 25 cm in size. Bake in a preheated oven set to 175 degrees (gas: levels 2-3, convection: 155 degrees) for approx. 12-14 minutes. Brush with orange liqueur immediately after baking and let cool.
• Soak gelatine in cold water for approx. 5 minutes. Pass orange and lemon juice through a sieve. Mix 100 ml of the lemon juice with the pudding powder. Bring remaining lemon juice to a boil. Stir in pudding powder and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly. Transfer into a bowl.
• Squeeze out gelatine and dissolve in the hot pudding. Stir in lemon curd and yogurt. Chill until the mixture just begins to gel.
• Cut out 12 circles of sponge cake (approx. 8 cm in diameter). Place a high metal ring (of the same diameter) on each plate. Place one circle of cake into the ring and then add layers of cream, alternating with the remaining circles of sponge cake. Chill for 2-3 hours.
• Pass raspberries through a sieve and mix with lavender honey.
• Loosen cakes from the metal ring with a small knife rinsed in cold water. Remove metal ring. Garnish cakes with a dollop of cream, chocolate, strawberry slices, lavender flowers and rolled wafers. Pour the raspberry sauce around the cakes.