Pinwheel Cookies

Love these cookies! These were one of the first cookies I had ever baked! These are great to make with your kids . Basically a shortbread cookie, one flavored with chocolate and the other vanilla which are rolled into a log, cut in slices and baked. Often I make a double batch and freeze one batch to bake later.


Ingredients:

1. All purpose flour(APF) - 3cups
2. Powdered sugar - 1 cup
3. Room temp. unsalted butter - 1 cup
4. Unsweetened chocolate, melted - 3oz(85 g)
5. Vanilla essence - 1 tsp
6. Baking powder - 3/4 tsp
7. Salt - 1/4 tsp
8. Milk - 1 tbsp
9. Egg, lightly beaten - 1

Method:

1. Sift the APF, salt and baking powder together. Keep aside.
2. Cream butter and sugar till light in colour. Add in the egg and milk and mix.
3. Add in the flour and mix just till it comes together. DO NOT OVERWORK!
4. Divide in two halves. 
5. Add in the melted chocolate to one half and the vanilla to the other half. Knead the doughs separately. Wrap in plastic film and refrigerate for about 15- 30 minutes.
6. Roll the two dough separately into a 1/4" thk slab. Both should be roughly the same shape and size.
7. Place the chocolate layer over the vanilla layer and roll into a tight log. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 375 deg F.
9. Cut the log into 1/2" thk. slices. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 12-13 minutes till they are just slightly golden brown.
10. When they are cool to touch, remove and let cool completely on baking rack.
11. Store in an airtight jar.

Nankhatai

Essentially a shortbread cookie with six basic ingredients. This recipe was developed in the 16th century by person named Dotiwala in a large port town in Western India called Surat. These cookies were served and still are served as tea cookies. In the US, they are very close in texture and flavor as the 'Sandies'. This recipe is unique in the absence of egg. I have used yoghurt here, one could substitute with milk too. 


INGREDIENTS:

1. Powdered sugar  75g (3oz)
2. Granulated sugar  100g (4oz)
3. Ghee, clarified butter 100g (4oz)
4. Yoghurt 75 g (4 tbsp)
5. All Purpose Flour 250g (9oz)
6. Baking Soda 1/2 tsp
7. Baking Powder 1/4 tsp
8. Pinch of salt
9. Powdered green cardamom 1 tsp

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Cream together the sugars and ghee. Add in the yoghurt.
3. Sieve the dry ingredients together. Mix into the wet ingredients and combine to form a soft dough. 
4. On a cookie sheet, place 1"dia balls of cookie dough and bake for about 20 minutes.
5. Cool on rack before storing.

NOTE- If you don't have powdered sugar, you can use granulated sugar. You could crush in a blender half of it.

The ghee or clarified butter gives the cookie a nutty flavor. Unsalted butter (125g) could be used instead of ghee. 

Indian Saffron Cookies

The secret ingredient in this recipe is ghee. Ghee is clarified butter. It has a deep nutty taste which cannot be replicated by butter. Ghee is available in all Indian stores. I however, prefer to make my own - recipe to follow soon.

INGREDIENTS:                              yield about 40 cookies, Prep time-15 minutes, cook time- 20 minutes 

1. All Purpose Flour (APF) 150g (5 oz)
2. Fine Semolina (Rava) 150g (5 oz)
3. Baking Soda 1/4 tsp
4. Salt 1/4 tsp
5. Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
6. Nutmeg powder 1/4 tsp (optional)
7. Powdered sugar 125g (4.5 oz)
8. Ghee (clarified butter) 100g (4oz)
9. Yoghurt 1 tbsp
10. Warm milk 1 tsp
11. Saffron strands 1/4 tsp

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. Grind the semolina to a coarse powder.
3. Sieve together the APF, semolina, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder if using, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
4. Add the saffron in the warm milk and set aside for about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, cream together the ghee and sugar.
6. Add in the tablespoon of yoghurt and beat well. Add in the saffron-milk mix.
7. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients and mix well to form a soft dough.
8. Break into small balls of 1" diameter and place on a baking sheet.
9. Bake till golden brown and delicious for about 30 minutes.
10. Let the cookies rest on the sheet for about 5 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely before storing.

NOTE: If you are not using yoghurt but using just water or milk, along with the baking soda, add 1/4 tsp baking powder. This will help the baking soda with the rising process.

Not quite Shrewsbury Biscuits!

In my hometown of Pune, India there is a bakery- Kayani's which makes the most fabulous Shrewsbury biscuits. The biscuits( cookies) are the palest yellow, have a superb buttery flavour and taste. I have been trying to get as close as I can to that taste of home. Though not close in taste, these cookies are good and are closer in texture and taste to ' Sandies'. Here's my version of the Shrewsbury Biscuits-

INGREDIENTS:                            makes about 30, 2" dia             Prep time 30 mins  Cook time 15 mins

1. 100g (4 oz) unsalted butter               
2. 50g (2oz) ghee ( clarified butter)
3. 25g (1oz) milk powder
4. 130g (5oz) caster sugar or fine ground sugar
5. 2 egg yolks, separated
6. 225g (8oz) All purpose flour
7. 1/4tsp baking powder
8. 1/4 tsp baking soda
9. 1/4 tsp salt
10. 1tsp vanilla extract

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. Beat the butter till it becomes light and fluffy.
3. Add in the sugar and the yolks till light and fluffy.( The colour of the butter mixture should lighten up)
4. Add in the vanilla extract.
5. Sieve together the salt, baking powder, baking soda and flour.
6. Slowly add into the butter mixture. Mix till it just comes together in a ball. The mixture should be a little crumbly at this stage. Pat it into a disc, wrap with cling film and place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
7. After 15 minutes roll the dough out till it is a little more than 1/4" thick but less than 1/2" thick. Using a cutter stamp out the dough in about 2" diameter circles and place on a cookie sheet.
8. Bake for about 7 minutes and then turn the sheet around and bake for another 7 to 8 mins or till they are done. The cookies should be golden brown in colour and should be a little soft to the touch when you get them out of the oven.
9. Cool on a rack right away, the cookies/ biscuits should firm up.