Nankhatai – Indian Shortbread Cookies
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup ghee or butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup castor sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder or grated nutmeg
- Few sliced almonds and sesame seeds for garnishing
- 1- 2 teaspoons milk or water for kneading, optional and if required
- 125 grams Macapone small tub
- 3 tablespoons light or dark Muscavado Sugar - I have used Muscavado sugar from Mauritius, but you can any or any other type.
- 1 vanilla pod - sliced and seeded
- Cream the ghee and castor sugar with a hand held blender or in a food processor until light, smooth and creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients - flour, semolina, cardamom powder, nutmeg powder and baking soda. Using a wooden spoon mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.
- Using your hand gently knead to a smooth dough.
- Pinch medium sized balls from the dough roll them evenly in your palms.
- Slightly flatten them, using your thumb press slight in the middle forming a little dent in the middle.
- Press in the sliced almonds and sesame on the top slightly.
- You can also make some criss cross designs on the Nankhatai with a fork or toothpick.
- Keep some space between them as they expand while baking.rnBake the Nankhatai in a pre heated oven at 200 degrees C for 20-25 minutes till light golden.
- While the Nankathai are baking prepare the sweet cheese filing, put the cheese, sugar in a small bowl, using a sharp knife cut he vanilla pod lengthwise and scrape the smooth vanilla seeds, add to the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly to a smooth paste. Taste for sweetness, add more sugar if desired.
- Remove the Nankathai from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool.
- When cool, sandwich the nankathai with the sweet cheese filing.
- Brinda's Notes:rn Without the cream cheese, Nankathai will keep for at least 2 weeks in an airtight container.rnAs the temperatures vary in different oven models, keep an eye while baking. If the Nankhatais are not baked enough after 20-25 minutes bake them for few more minutes.
flour, ghee, baking soda, castor sugar, cardamom powder, sesame seeds for garnishing, milk, light, vanilla pod
Taken from food52.com/recipes/39104-nankhatai-indian-shortbread-cookies (may not work)