Strawberry-Lavender Buckwheat Bread with Lemon Curd

This past weekend in Seattle, it was positively sweltering! It hit 93 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, setting records for the region. I managed to get myself a pretty god sunburn on my shoulders and back after spending much of Saturday at Seafair- an annual Summer festival that showcases hydroplane races, the Boeing Air Show, parades, and of course, the famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels! The Blue Angels put on a spectacular show, as always, but man, it was just Too. Dang. Hot!

I suppose Seattle was trying to prepare me for the searing, muggy heat I will be experiencing for the next two weeks while visiting home. Tomorrow, I leave for the sunny, Gulf-coast of Florida! I’m insanely excited to be able to see my family, especially Max :3

My family, I think, is more looking forward to my cooking, than me! My mother, father, and little brother have all asked what I will be cooking/baking for them while I’m home, haha. Perhaps, if they’re lucky, they’ll get some of this incredibly tasty bread topped with the best-ever, homemade lemon curd 😉

The bread is nutty, tender, and a bit floral. The curd is tart, sweet, and oh-so-creamy. Together, they make magic! Though, both are incredibly delicious on their own (in fact, I highly suggest you try the lemon curd on these Lemon Blueberry Scones).

Strawberry-Lavender Buckwheat Bread

recipe adapted from here

makes 2 9-inch loaves

ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups buckwheat flour
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp lavender buds
• 2 lbs strawberries, quartered
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 2 cups low-fat buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 9-inch loaf pans and set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and lavender.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together oil and eggs. Add in the vanilla and buttermilk and whisk to combine.
4. With the mixer on the lowest setting, add in the wet mixture, and then the strawberries. Mix until just combined.
5. Divide the batter evenly between the two greased pans. Bake for about 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Allow the cakes to fully cool in the pans before running a knife along the edges and gently tipping out onto a cutting board. Serve with Lemon Curd (recipe below).

Lemon Curd

recipe adapted from here

ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 100 grams granulated sugar
• 200 grams freshly-squeezed lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• zest of 2 small lemons
• 20 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar, juice, and zest together. Cook this mixture over a double boiler until it thickens, stirring frequently.
2. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl set over an ice bath and stir until the mixture has slightly cooled.
3. Add in the butter and mix with a hand blender until the mixture is emulsified and lighter in color. Refrigerate until ready to use.