Dark Chocolate Lavender Cookies

Preparation
2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1/3 cup Unrefined Sugar

1/4 lb Butter (plus extra for greasing)

6-once bar Dark Chocolate, chopped into chunks

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon Aluminum-Free Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt

2 tablespoons Lavender Flowers (fresh or dried) for topping

Direction

1. Shift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. In the room temperature rub the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
2. Mix in the sugar, salt, and chocolate chunks. Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract, and stir to form a smooth dough.
3. Shape the dough into 2 logs (about 1 ½ inch in diameter) on a large sheet of parchment paper. Roll to give smooth sides. Wrap the dough in parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 2 hours; preferably overnight or up to 3 days. The dough can be frozen for up to 3 months.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
5. Apply butter on baking sheets. Use a sharp knife to cut the log into 3/4-inch-thick slices and place them 1 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheets.
6. Sprinkle each cookie with lavender flowers pressing them down gently.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.

These Dark Chocolate Lavender Cookies are sure gets everyone in the room buzzing as they savour the sophisticated flavour of rich dark chocolate subtly infused with the delightful fragrance and taste of lavender. Fortunately, the dough keeps wonderfully when frozen, so you can have spares ready to go for whenever the need arises.

Benefits of Dark Chocolate

1. It is loaded with high cocoa content and is very nutritious.
2. It is a powerful source of antioxidants.
3. It may improve blood flow and lowers blood pressure level.
4. It may reduce heart disease risk.
5. Dark chocolate may also improve the function of your brain.
6. It has free radical fighting ability.

Benefits of Lavender

1. It can significantly improve sleep quality.
2. It helps to reduce anxiety levels.
3. It promotes new hair growth.
4. Lavender has properties that help with wound healing.
5. It acts as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic making it an effective pain reliever.
6. It has antiseptic properties that can fight the bacteria that cause acne.

Benefits of Vanilla Extract

1. Vanilla reduces cholesterol levels.
2. Vanilla is rich in antioxidants which prevent the breakdown of cells in the body.
3. Vanilla helps induce blood flow to the scalp promoting hair growth.
4. Vanilla impacts on the nerves that induce calm and relieve stress.
5. It promotes healthy digestion.
6. It can help to ease respiratory conditions.