Apr 21, 2010

Naankhatai Biscuit



Ingredients:
Unsalted Butter – 1 stick (1/2 cup) at room temperature
Powdered Sugar – 1/2 cup
Cardamom Powder (elaichi pwdr) – 1/4 tsp
All Purpose Flour (Maida) – 1 cup
Baking Powder – 1/4 tsp
Salt – 1/8 tsp                                                                                                      Chopped pistachios for decoration (optional)
Method:                                                                                                             Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Soften butter in a bowl & add the powdered sugar (little at a time) until mixture is light and creamy.
Add Cardamom Powder and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift All Purpose Flour with Baking Powder and Salt.
Combine Flour mixture (little at a time) with Butter Mixture to form a soft dough.
Cover the dough & let it rest for 15 minutes.
Knead dough once again and divide into 12 – 15 equal portions.
Roll each portion into a smooth ball without any cracks and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax/parchment paper. Leave ample space between dough balls. Decorate the balls with chopped pistachios in the center before baking.
Bake on the middle rack for 25 minutes (keep a close eye as these cookies should remain white on top & slight golden brown on the bottom).
Remove from oven and let them cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.  Store in an air tight container.