Folks, this lavender & honey steamer is a first — that is, it’s my first drinks recipe EVER on this blog.
 
To be honest, I’m not particularly excited about this new development. Drinks tend to be more of an afterthought for me — that is, I’ve never really been one to go through the elaborate process of mixing cocktails, making my own drinks recipes, etc. I tend to go for simple things that already come premade in a bottle. Sure, if you put a homemade smoothie or cocktail in front of me, I’ll drink it. But will I make it for myself? Nah. I’m simply too lazy.
 
But sugar-free month has been really hard on me, guys. I don’t look forward to baking anymore — it’s a struggle to find sugar-free desserts that I’m excited about. And to be honest, these days I haven’t really been craving sugar anymore (so the cravings do go away after all… at the homestretch. Who woulda thunk?).
 
Instead of finding a sugar-free dessert that I would only be half-excited about, I decided to recreate one of my favorite coffee shop drinks — a lavender & honey steamer from a nearby local cafe, the Pied Cow. What’s a steamer, you ask? You know how, when you go your local coffee shop and order something like a latte or cappucino, it comes with all that milk foam up top? Best part of the drink, in my opinion. Well, a steamer is basically a glass of flavored warm milk topped off with all that light and airy foam:

 

 

To get that foamyness, coffee shops and restaurants normally use an espresso machine with a steamer attachment, or use tools specifically for frothing milk (they work by whisking warm air bubbles into the milk, causing it to foam up). Well, I neither have an espresso machine or a milk frother. But did you know that you can make that foam without either of those tools? That is, all you really need is a small mason jar full of shaken milk and a microwave?
 
Check out the recipe below and let me know how it works for you. You can flavor the milk with anything — lavender, honey, tea, or even leave it plain. Please note that if you are infusing the milk with lavender or tea, it might be a good idea to let it infuse overnight for a stronger flavor.

 

This is a great drink for those cold winter nights where all you want to do is watch Netflix nonstop. Like House of Cards for four hours straight. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything. Nope.

 
 


Get the Recipe: Lavender & Honey Steamer

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole milk (it is important to use whole milk — skim won't froth as much)
  • 4 tablespoons culinary lavender
  • 1 tablespoon honey (or more or less, depending on your taste)

Equipment

  • a microwave
  • a small mason jar with a lid (small enough to fit into your microwave)

Instructions
 

  • In a small bowl, combine 1 cup whole milk with 4 tablespoons of lavender. Stir the two ingredients together vigorously for  few seconds before covering with plastic wrap and letting sit in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours, or preferably overnight.
  • Frothing the Lavender Milk:
  • Once the milk has been infused with lavender overnight, strain the milk into a small pot. Gently heat over the stovetop until the milk is fully warmed, but making sure it doesn’t boil or get too hot.
  • Transfer the warmed milk to asmall mason jar. The milk should fill the jar no more than half way to allow room for the foam.
  • Shake the jar with the lid on as hard as you can until the milk has become frothy and doubled in size, around 30 seconds or so.
  • Take the lid off the jar and microwave for another 30 seconds. The foam will rise to the top of the milk and the heat from the microwave will help stabilize it.
  • Pour the milk into your mug (or glass of choice — I used these cute milk bottles), using a spoon to hold back the foam. Don't put the foam in yet!
  • While the milk is still warm, add 1 tablespoon of honey, stirring into the milk until well combined.
  • Use a spoon to top off the milk and honey with the remaining foam (from the 5th step). Enjoy while hot!
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!