I'm still on the 'baking bug'.... this time it was cookies! I wanted to eat simple plain cookies... no raisins, no choco chips.... nothing, maybe I was thinking of the simple nankhatai back in India I used to enjoy so much.
Though something I ate with enjoyment, I had never dreamed that one day I would make these! I don't know, but somehow, I had this idea that 'baking' was largely done only by Catholics (my Catholic friends in school used to bring cake slices baked by their Mom on Christmas or their Birthday and none of the Maharashtrian / SouthIndian friends did this- our B'day cakes were 'Monginis' made!) Well, tender years and funny ideas!
M and I both like cookies, in fact I know very few people who don't... ofcourse there are those on a diet and they have to feign disinterest! but.. this is not the time to talk of diets and feel guilt ridden! Time to bake a batch of lovely, crispy , home made cookies, and watch with satisfaction as they disappear!
Simple ingredients :
1 Cup All purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
1 tsp. baking soda
5 - 6 tbsp. unsalted butter (softened butter- NOT melted...be careful!)
* careful with the butter too much will make a mess of the cookies. I added it spoon by spoon.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cardamom powder. Mix the butter and sugar and beat together till the color turns lighter and it looks creamy.
Add vanilla essence, mix in the sifted flour. Knead into a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for a while.
Preheat the oven. Make small balls of the dough by rolling it in the palm and lay them on the baking tray, keep a little distancce between the dough rolls.
Bake at 180 degrees C for almost 20-25 mins.
Confessions and lesson learnt :
1. I totally goofed on my first batch of cookies...too much butter... they 'ran' into one another :(
2. The heat was too much -absentmindedness- the cookies turned out looking like dark chocolate cookies instead of the end result as seen above :((
Though something I ate with enjoyment, I had never dreamed that one day I would make these! I don't know, but somehow, I had this idea that 'baking' was largely done only by Catholics (my Catholic friends in school used to bring cake slices baked by their Mom on Christmas or their Birthday and none of the Maharashtrian / SouthIndian friends did this- our B'day cakes were 'Monginis' made!) Well, tender years and funny ideas!
M and I both like cookies, in fact I know very few people who don't... ofcourse there are those on a diet and they have to feign disinterest! but.. this is not the time to talk of diets and feel guilt ridden! Time to bake a batch of lovely, crispy , home made cookies, and watch with satisfaction as they disappear!
Simple ingredients :
1 Cup All purpose Flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla essence
1 tsp. baking soda
5 - 6 tbsp. unsalted butter (softened butter- NOT melted...be careful!)
* careful with the butter too much will make a mess of the cookies. I added it spoon by spoon.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cardamom powder. Mix the butter and sugar and beat together till the color turns lighter and it looks creamy.
Add vanilla essence, mix in the sifted flour. Knead into a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and leave for a while.
Preheat the oven. Make small balls of the dough by rolling it in the palm and lay them on the baking tray, keep a little distancce between the dough rolls.
Bake at 180 degrees C for almost 20-25 mins.
Confessions and lesson learnt :1. I totally goofed on my first batch of cookies...too much butter... they 'ran' into one another :(
2. The heat was too much -absentmindedness- the cookies turned out looking like dark chocolate cookies instead of the end result as seen above :((
Hi Manasi! love it..plain janes are hot blondies!! Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI have tagged you for '5 things to eat before I die' MEME! Check out my blog tomorrow sometime, still not posted! Write if you like!
Hello Manasi,
ReplyDeleteCame across your site from Asha's foodie hope. You have some good recipes here, it was nice looking through your blog. Would try some pretty soon.
Thanxs
Sushma
http://www.sunkiran.com
Nankatayi are my favorites too. Your version looks lovely.
ReplyDeleteFoodie's Hope: 'Hot Blondies', u make it sound real nice!! Thanx Asha! also for tagging me!
ReplyDeleteSushma: Thank u very much for stopping by.
Shilpa : Thank u !
Monisha: Hehehehe! u are right, tried to get things done quick! the butter was in the fridge and i could not wait..I guess that is why it flopped the first time.
I've been wanting to try these, probably will try it today! But that SOFTENED butter as against MELTED butter tip is invaluable. I end up using the latter as I never have the foresight or the patience to get softened butter. WIll surely take care of that now on...
ReplyDeleteShall report back -
Hi Nandita : I messed a batch meself becoz of the MELTED butter!!
ReplyDeleteHope u bake a great batch! Let me know!
Tried this yesterday - came out perfect. Thanks a lot for the recipe. Will make it many more times. - Nithu
ReplyDeletewow!
ReplyDeletelovely cookies :)
will definitely try these.