Lavender Vanilla Lemon Drops Recipes

LAVENDER LEMON DROP

Steps:

• For the demerara sugar syrup: Combine the demerara sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
• For the lavender lemon drop: Add the gin, limoncello, lemon juice and 1/2 ounce of the demerara sugar syrup to a cocktail shaker, add large ice and shake vigorously. Add the Moscato d'Asti, tumble-roll once to mix throughout and double-strain into a martini glass with a small sprig of lavender. Garnish with a lemon wedge and serve (do not muddle the lavender).
• Keep the remaining demerara sugar syrup covered in the refrigerator up to 1 month.
• Remove the peels from the lemons carefully, making sure not to include any of the pith. Place the peels in a large container and add the vodka (reserve the vodka bottle for later). Infuse until the alcohol strips the oils and color out of the peels, 12 to 24 hours.
• Meanwhile, make the simple syrup. Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
• Fill the vodka bottle with about 27 ounces of the infused vodka and 7 ounces of the simple syrup and place in the freezer. Serve ice cold in chilled small copita or shot glasses.

LITTLE LEMON DROPS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees F. You'll need mini-muffin pans coated with nonstick cooking spray.
• For lemon drops: Beat all lemon drop ingredients in large bowl with mixer on medium speed several minutes until blended and smooth.
• Transfer the batter into two 1-gallon ziptop bags.
• Seal bags; cut tip off one corner of each bag and pipe batter into prepared muffin cups, filling cups slightly less than 2/3 full.
• Bake 12 minutes, or until a pick inserted in centers comes out clean.
• Remove pans to wire rack and cool 2 minutes; invert muffins onto rack (leave muffins inverted) and cool completely.
• Continue baking batches until all the batter is used up (you'll have about 100 muffins).
• For Lemon Glaze: Place a wire rack over wax paper.
• Beat ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Dip muffins in glaze to coat rounded tops and sides, letting excess glaze drip back into bowl.
• Place on rack until glaze is set.
• For sugared cranberries: In small saucepan over medium heat, bring 2 cups granulated sugar and 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice cocktail or water just to a simmer, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• Remove from heat; stir in 2 cups cranberries.
• Cover; refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Drain well.
• Toss berries in superfine or regular granulated sugar until coated all over.
• Let stand on wax paper 2 hours or until dry.
• To serve: Place each lemon drop in a decorated mini-muffin liner.
• Top with sugared cranberry, if desired.
• Storage tip: Store in airtight containers with wax paper between layers at cool room temperature or in refrigerator up to 1 week, or freeze unglazed up to 3 months.