Benne Biscuit / Butter Cookie

Ingredients:

• 2 cups All purpose flour ( maida)
• 3/4 cup Melted butter / Oil
• 1 1/2 cup Sugar powdered
• 3/4 tsp Baking powder
• 1 pinch Salt

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F
2. In a bowl add all purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

3. Mix well and now add butter or oil little by little until the flour is in a crumbled form.
4. When hold firm a solid ball should be formed.

5. Now make small equal size balls and place on the baking tray lined with baking sheet.
6. Place the tray in oven and bake for 15-18 minutes.
7. Do not over bake. Remove the tray from oven and allow it to cool.
8. Serve this delicious very soft cookies.

9. Store in air tight container for days.
10. This is a very special biscuits seen in Bangalore's Iyengars bakery.
11. Our all time favorite.

Cashew Pistachio Cookies

                           
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup All purpose flour (maida)
• 3/4 cup Butter (Unsalted and at Room Temperature but not melting)
• 3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tsp Semolina 
• 1/4 tsp Baking powder
• 3 Cardamoms 
• 2 tsp crushed Cashew nuts
• 2 tsp crushed Pistachio
• 3-4 tsp Milk
• Cashew Nuts for Topping

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. 
2. Grease a baking try with ghee or just spread the wax paper and keep aside.
3. Remove the skins of cardamoms and make powder of the seeds.
4. In a bowl mix soft butter and powdered sugar and whip till light & fluffy.
5. Add the cardamom powder and mix well.
6. Mix maida, crushed cashew nuts, crushed pistachio, semolina and baking powder together in an other bowl.  Now add the maida mixture little by little to the butter mixture and make soft dough.
7. The should be able to make a firm ball without cracks. If you are not able to make a ball then add few spoons of milk.

8. Mix it and divide the dough in to small equal parts.
9. Make Smooth and flat the balls. Mark each ball with a design you like with a knife or a fork.
10. Press a cashew nut piece in the centre of each round.
11. Arrange these rounds on the greased tray.
12. Make sure the rounds are at least one inch apart as the cookies expand on baking.
13. Place this baking tray in the preheated oven and bake at 375 F for 15-20mins.
14. Check for a light brown color and remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking tray itself.
15. These cookies are crunchy and just melts in your mouth.  
16. Great for holidays. Enjoy!!!

                   

Butter Jello cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
• 2/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup strawberry jam (or raspberry/cherry jam)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar with a hand-held mixer until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in the dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.

4. Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls with a cookie or ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place about 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a thumbprint into the center of each ball, about 1/2-inch deep. Fill each indentation with about 3/4 teaspoon jam.
5. Bake cookies until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes.
6. Cool cookies on the baking sheets.
7. Can be stored for about 5 days

Mint Chilly Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup All purpose Flour/Maida
• ¾ stick butter
• 2 tsp Powdered Sugar
• 1 tsp Salt
• ¾ tsp Baking powder
• 6-8 Green Chillies chopped (alter to suit your taste)
• 2 tbsp Yogurt (plain)
• 10 Curry Leaves chopped into small bits
• ½” pc Ginger, grated
• 6 Mint leaves finely chopped
• Preheat oven to 400F

Method:

1. Sieve the flour, baking powder and powdered sugar.
2. Using a stand up mixer or a hand held one cream the butter till smooth, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in the cut chillies, curry leaves, mint and yogurt.
4. Slowly add in the flour mixture till everything comes together.
5. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead till it becomes a smooth ball. Roll out dough till it’s a ¼ of an inch thick.
6. Use a 2 inch wide biscuit cutter to cut the dough into as many biscuits as possible.
7. Bring remaining dough together and repeat kneading, rolling and cutting.
8. Place biscuits on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 15 minutes till light brown on the edges.
9. Great to have with TEA!!!