Garden Green Pikelets

Garden Green Pikelets

Packed with fresh greens from the garden these garden green pikelets are so fun to make. With subtle, fragrant herb flavours and vibrant green colour these pikelets are a delight to eat. Served with a delicious Rhubarb compote.

garden green pikelets

Garden Green Pikelets

Yield: 20-25 pikelets
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Vibrant green pikelets packed with fresh greens from the garden.

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups of raw leafy greens*
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 TBSP Sugar
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 egg
  • 20-25 herb leaves (Pineapple Sage and Lemon Balm)*

Instructions

  1. Rinse the leafy greens and remove any hard stems. Blanch the leaves by submerging them in a pot of simmering hot water for 30-40 seconds and then add them straight to a bowl of ice-cold water. This step will help the pikelets retain their vibrant green colour. Skipping this step may result in a duller green.
  2. Strain the greens and place them in a blender or mixer along with the milk. Blitz until all the greens are combined to create green milk.
  3. Add in the egg and lightly blitz to combine.
  4. In a mixing bowl add flour, baking powder, and sugar. Stir to combine. Add the green mix slowly and stir to combine. Add about 1/4 cup of water to the empty green mixer or blender jug and shake to clean the residual green mix from the sides. Use this if the mixture needs a little more liquid. It should fall from the spoon quite easily.
  5. Clean your herb leaves and remove any hard stems. have these laid out ready to add while cooking your pikelets.
  6. Place a frying pan on low-medium heat and coat with a little vegetable oil. Spoon in your pikelets and add a leaf to the top. Once the pikelet has 3-4 bubbles appear carefully flip and cook for a further minute.
  7. Serve with Rhubarb compote and yogurt or cream.

Notes

Leafy Greens - I used Warrigal Greens (NZ Spinach) and a few Nasturtium leaves. You could use any mild flavoured leafy greens such as spinach or chard.

Herbs - Pineapple Sage and lemon balm worked the best as they handled the heat. I also tried Mint and pineapple sage flowers and they were ok too.

Botanical Shortbread

Botanical Shortbread

Beautiful and delicious floral shortbread with subtle flavours of orange and thyme. This basic shortbread recipe can easily be adjusted to add seasonal edible flowers and herbs from the garden. The perfect treat to impress your guests and enjoy with tea or coffee in the garden.

botanical shortbread

Botanical Shortbread

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Fresh, subtle flavours infused in soft melting biscuits. These botanical shortbread biscuits can be made using seasonal edible flowers and herbs.

Ingredients

  • 250gram butter
  • 1 cup icing sugar
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 tbsp orange juice
  • 2 tbsp ( 1 orange) zest
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 /2 cup edible flowers

Instructions

  1. Beat sugar and butter until very pale yellow/white and creamy.
  2. Grate the zest of one large orange and add to the mix along with 2 TBSP of juice.
  3. Mix through the flour to make a soft dough.
  4. Wrap or cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  5. Preheat the oven to 140 degrees. Lightly dust a baking tray with flour.
  6. Remove the dough and lightly knead to bring it together.
  7. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to approx 1 cm thick (easier to manage using 1/2 the dough at a time)
  8. Sprinkle over edible flower petals and fresh thyme leaves (removed from the stalk).
  9. Gentle roll over the flowers. Some may not stick so just lightly press into place. Cut out shapes using a cookie cutter and place on to the baking tray.
  10. Merge the leftover edges and re-roll out and continue to cut shapes. The second roll will incorporate the flowers into the dough so you may want to add extras on top.
  11. Bake for 15-20mins or until very slightly starting to go golden. You want to keep them pale so they don't become too dry and crumbly. Remove and allow to cool on a wire wrack.

Notes

Edible flowers I used: Pineapple Sage (red flowers), Calendula, Rose, Sweet Violet, and Nasturtium.

Use seasonal edible flowers and herbs: other options to try are Lemon and Lavender, Lemon and Rosemary, or Mint.

Check out the edible flower list for options.

Botanical Shortbread

Beautiful and delicious floral shortbread with subtle flavours of orange and thyme….