Lavender's surprising culinary delight: Whipped cream à la Kardashian

Purple flowers with a captivating scent are primarily associated with various cosmetics, but lavender also works great in the kitchen. We can see for ourselves by preparing a delicious dessert that stars and celebrities love.

Kourtney Kardashian, the eldest daughter of the famous lawyer Robert Kardashian, is a big fan of lavender whipped cream. She gained fame with her sisters from participating in popular reality shows "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and "Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami."

Kourt recalls a meeting with friends that ended with a simple but "heavenly" dessert—lavender whipped cream with berries, prepared by Jess Wolfson, a friend of the celebrity. It tasted like sweet lavender with the consistency of a creamy cloud. I could eat a whole bowl," Kardashian raves.

The speciality confirms the versatility of lavender, which the ancient Egyptians regarded as a magical plant and whose flowers' oil they used to soak the shrouds of the dead. The Romans discovered its cosmetic properties and added dried flowers to baths.

Lavender's medicinal properties have been known for a long time. It has been considered, among other things, a remedy for insomnia since ancient times. English Queen Elizabeth I drank lavender infusion to rid herself of headaches. The prominent French chemist René Gattefossé greatly valued the plant, who coined the term "aromatherapy." The scientist became fascinated with it when he accidentally immersed a burnt hand in a container of lavender oil. The pain subsided, and the wound healed quickly.

Lavender also works great in the kitchen, as evidenced by the lavender-flavoured whipped cream being the best example.

Lavender flowers owe their intoxicating scent to a high concentration of lavender oil, a source of many valuable organic compounds from the terpene group, including borneol, cineole, geraniol, linalool, or pinene. They have anti-inflammatory, calming (hence improving sleep quality), anti-anxiety, and relaxing properties. Lavender flower ingredients also effectively soothe stress and act as antidepressants.

Lavender extract is a rich source of anthocyanins, compounds from the flavonoid group that strengthen blood vessel walls, improve microcirculation, and stimulate the regeneration of rhodopsin in the retina, thus improving vision. They have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, thereby reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and many other serious cardiovascular diseases.

Due to its properties, lavender is successfully used to treat oral cavity and throat diseases and upper respiratory tract infections. In dermatology, lavender oil helps alleviate inflammatory skin conditions caused by acne and psoriasis. It is added to ointments used for wounds or burns. Inhalations performed with its use support traditional pharmacotherapy in treating neurological disorders.

A key ingredient of the dessert is lavender sugar, which can be purchased in specialised stores or online, but we can also easily prepare it at home – fine sugar (about 225 grams) is mixed with dried lavender flowers (the same amount), tightly sealed in a jar for 4-6 weeks, then sifted to remove the flowers.

Lavender sugar (about 115 grams) is transferred into a bowl, add chilled heavy cream (about 950ml) and food-grade lavender extract (half a teaspoon), then mix on medium speed until the cream becomes very fluffy.

The whipped cream is served immediately. It pairs best with fresh fruits, e.g., American blueberries. The dessert also tastes great with small ladyfingers or crumbled butter cookies.