Wheat thins

Preparation time : 30 mins + 40 mins
Makes : 13 dozen

Ingredients :

Whole wheat flour : 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces)
Sugar : 1 1/2 Tbsp
Salt : 1/2 tsp
Paprika : 1/4 tsp
Butter : 4 Tbsp , 1/2 stick
Water : 1/4 cup
Vanilla : 1/4 tsp
Additional salt for topping (optional)

Method :

Combine the flour, sugar, salt and paprika in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and mix it in thoroughly, using your fingers, a pastry blender, a mixer or a food processor. Combine the water and vanilla, and add it to the flour mixture, mixing until smooth

Pre heat the oven to 400˚F. Lightly grease baking sheets or line with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 4 pieces; keep the other pieces covered while you work with one at a time. Lightly flour your work surface and your rolling pin and roll the piece of dough into a large rectangle, which should be at least 12 inches square when trimmed. Keep your pin and the surface of your dough evenly floured. Flip the dough frequently to keep it from sticking, but too much flour will make it difficult to roll. Keep rolling until the dough is as thin as you can get it without tearing, at least 1/16 inch thick. Trim the dough to even the edges and use a pizza cutter or a sharp knife to cut the piece into squares approximately 1 1/2 inches wide. Transfer the squares to a prepared baking sheet; you can crowd them together, as they don’t expand while baking. Sprinkle the squares lightly with salt, if desired. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Save the scraps under plastic wrap and re roll them all at once just one time.

Bake the crackers, one sheet at a time, until crisp and browned, 5 to 7 minutes. If some of the thinner crackers brown too quickly, remove them and return the remaining crackers to the oven to finish baking. These crackers bake quickly, so watch them closely – even 30 seconds can turn them from golden brown to toast! Remove the crackers from the oven and cool on the pan or on a plate; they cool quickly.
These crackers will stay crisp for several days, but are best stored in airtight containers.
Enjoy your crackers :)
Thank you , do post your comments !!!

Sour cream cookies

Preparation time : 20 mins

Makes : 24

Ingredients :

All-purpose flour : 1 1/2 cups sifted
Baking powder : 1/2 tsp
Baking soda : 1/4 tsp
Salt : 1/4 tsp
Butter or regular margarine: 1/2 cup  softened
Sugar : 3/4 cup
Egg : 1 large
Sour cream : 1/2 cup
Vanilla extract : 1/2 tsp (or 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel)

Method :

Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In large bowl of electric mixer, at medium speed, beat butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy.
At low speed, beat in sour cream and vanilla until smooth.
Gradually beat in flour mixture until well combined. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets.
Drop batter by slightly rounded teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart, onto prepared cookie sheets.
If you like then you can top them, by combining 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Sprinkle a little on unbaked cookies.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden-brown.

Remove to wire rack; cool.

Enjoy your cookies :)

Thank you do post your comment !!!

Brown vanilla drops (or) mini vanilla wafer cookies

When i was trying vanilla drops i came across this recipe and this tastes great too but the brown sugar gives a different taste .... but for original vanilla drops you have to check this link Vanilla drops

Here goes the recipe for these cookies or biscuits....

Preparation time : 30 mins

Makes : 32 dozens or around 380 

Ingredients :

Softened butter : 1/2 cup

Sugar : 1/2 cup

Brown sugar : 1/4 cup

Egg : 1 large

Pure vanilla extract : 1 Tbsp

All purpose flour : 1 1/3 cup

Salt : 1/2 tsp

Baking powder : 1/2 tsp

Method :

Preheat oven to 325F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.

Sift flour, salt and baking powder over the butter mixture and stir to combine.

Scrap dough into a zip lock back, seal it.

Cut one of the corners of the bag. (or you can even use a pastry bag fitted with a plain piping tip)

Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, making each cookie the size of a large chocolate chip.

Cookies will spread, but only a little space is needed between cookies.

Bake at 325F for 10 to15 minutes, until cookies are light golden brown.

Baking time will vary depending on the exact size of your cookie.

Cool on baking sheets.

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy your cookies :)
Thank you, do post your comments!!!

Vanilla drops (or) Nilla wafers

Feeling Nostalgic :) :) :)

In my childhood we used to go to 'Bindu' Bakery near my grand ma's house and from that shop we used to buy these biscuits and we used to call them as " Topi biscuits "

When i tried buying these after i grew up , i couldn't find them and couple of years ago when i am carrying my brother got these for me and i was so surprised at that time and they are coming in a company package named as vanilla drops.

When i tried this recipe , i was so happy that i MADE these biscuits ... These are so easy to make and tastes excellent ... you can make hundreds of biscuits in less time. Believe me try these and enjoy the taste .....

Preparation time : 30 to 40 minutes

Makes : around 300

Ingredients :

All purpose flour : 1 cup

Sugar : 1/2 cup

Butter : 4 Tbsp or 1/4 cup

Eggs : 3

Baking powder : 1/2 tsp

Salt : 1/4 tsp

Pure Vanilla extract : 2 Tbsp

Method :

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl.

Add the egg, vanilla. Mix well.

Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir well.

(If it is too tight then add upto 1/4 cup milk by adjusting the consistency, don't add all at once)

Spoon the dough into a zip lock bag, seal it.

Cut off the tip of one corner and pipe the dough onto un greased cookie sheet at least one inch apart.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the bottom begin to turn golden brown.

Let them cool.

Store in an airtight container.

Enjoy your wafer/cookies/biscuits :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Fortune cookies

A Fortune cookie is a crisp cookie, with a piece of paper, a "fortune", on which is words of wisdom, an aphorism, or a vague prophecy. Fortune cookies are often served as a dessert in Chinese restaurant in the US and some other countries, but are absent in China. The exact origin of fortune cookie is unclear.

The best part about making your own fortune cookies is being able to put your own notes inside ! You can gift them to friends, family, co-workers, and so on, and make your notes however you'd like.
(Or you can even play game with it in your parties, instead of fortune put some game or puzzle in side and have blast !!! ;) )

I made these with a fortune on one side of paper and task on other side of the paper for a get to gather and its a charm to the party(As you can see in the above pic the task is to make a hair style) !!!

Preparation time : 1 1/2 hour
Makes : 3 to 4 dozens

Ingredients :

Egg whites : 3
Sugar : 3/4 cup
Butter : 1/2 cup melted
Vanilla Extract : 1/4 tsp
Almond Extract : 1/4 tsp
Water : 3 Tbsp
All purpose flour : 1 cup (5 oz)

Method :

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Line a oven pan with parchment paper or a silicon mat, and have your fortune strips ready to go.

In a bowl or stand mixer , whip the egg whites and sugar on high speed for about 2 mins, until it's frothy. Whip in the melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, and water until incorporated . Add in the flour and mix until the flour "just" disappears.

With a tablespoon measure, spoon the batter onto the parchment paper and spread it out into an even 3 inch circle. I recommend not doing any more than 2-3 at a time. Since they set very quickly and you will not be able to fold more than that.

Bake your fortune cookies for 7-8 minutes, until the edge brown slightly. If you let them brown too much, they will snap when you shape them. Conversely, if they don't brown a little bit, they will also break (but tear, rather than snapping ).

When your fortune cookies are done baking, remove them from the oven and quickly flip the circle over, and fold your fortune cookie in half, into a semicircle. This is when you slip your note into the cookie ( quickly) because if you slip it in right at the beginning, the cookie will be too hot and your paper will stick to the cookie. place your semicircle onto the edge of a cup, and quickly fold the ends down, to shape into a fortune cookie.

Stick the cookie in a muffin tin to let it cool and hold its shape.

Repeat with the remaining batter.

Enjoy your yummy yummy fortune cookies :)
Thank you , do post your comments !!!

M and M Cookies

Preparation time : 20 mins
Makes : 20

Ingredients :

All purpose flour : 1 1/4 cups
Baking soda : 1/2 tsp
Brown Sugar : 1/2 cup
White sugar : 1/4 cup
Butter : 1/2 cup (at room temperature)
Eggs : one large
Vanilla Extract : 3/4 tsp
Salt : 1/2 tsp
M and M (or) Gems : 1/3 cup

Method :

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
Take a bowl. Add in brown sugar, white sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla extract.
Beat it with electrical mixer well (or mix them really really good till they all combined very well) .
Now add flour, baking soda, salt and beat it once again with electrical mixer (or mix it very well till you get a nice mixture)
Now add M & M 's and mix everything very well.

Drop table spoon of cookie dough on to baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Press few candy pieces on top of each cookie dough.

Bake the cookies for about 9 to 11 minutes or till the edges are lightly brown and centers are still soft.
Rotate the cookie sheet half way through to make sure cookies bake evenly.
Do not over bake or else the candy pieces dry out.
Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet.
(If you want you can even add some chocolate chips in the dough - i personally liked them when chocolate chips added )

Enjoy your cookies :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Milk chocolate cookies

First time i ate white chocolate chip cookie from M&S in dec, 2010...... i liked it a lot.. so then after i started buying from that shop......

One day i thought, why can't i prepare them and i tried them, they came out really good and here is the recipe....

Preparation time : 30 - 45 mins
Makes : 24 to 36

Ingredients :

White chocolate chips : 2 cups
Shortening (or Margarine or butter) : 1 cup
Plain flour : 1 1/2 cups
Brown sugar : 1 cup
White sugar : 1/2 cup
eggs : 2
Vanilla extract : 1tsp
Baking soda : 1 tsp
Salt : 1/8 tsp

Method :

Preheat oven to 160C \ 310F
Line a baking sheet with non stick baking parchment and keep aside.
Now with an (electric) whisk beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy.
Slowly beat in the eggs and vanilla essence.
Add sifted flour and beat until incorporated.
Beat in the white chocolate chips once.
Put the mixture in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes (It is easy to handle when chilled)
Remove from fridge and divide the mixture into balls.
(If you want big cookies make big balls, if you want small cookies make small balls)
Roll them into cookies.
(You can even directly bake them without keeping them in fridge)

Place the cookies on the baking sheet, leave room for them to spread/ bloom as they bake.
Bake in the oven for 12 minutes for a soft cookie or 15 - 17 minutes for a crunchy cookie.

Remove and allow to cool for 20 minutes before moving.
(If your cookies spread tooo far means not enough flour / too much butter or egg)
Store them in an air tight container.
If you are looking for a change then you can remove a third of the chocolate weight and replace it with hazelnuts, strawberries or raspberries.
Enjoy yummy yummy cookies :)
Thank youu, do post your comments !!!

Naan kathai

Naan kathai is one my favourite bakery item and here is the recipe for one of it.

Preparation time : 45 mins
Makes : 18 to 20

Ingredients :

All purpose flour / Maida : 1 cup
Sugar powder : 1/2 cup
Baking soda : 6 pinches (or) 1/2 tsp
Butter / Ghee / Lard : 1/2 cup
Chopped nuts : 2 tbsp

Method :

Sieve all purpose flour, sugar powder and baking soda together.
Mix it with butter.
Make a dough, knead it once.

Make them into shapes as you needed.
Sprinkle nuts on top.
Arrange them in a thick flat bottom vessel.
Leave some space between each other, as they increase in dimentions.
Take dosa tawa, heat it to max, then place this vessel on top of tawa, reduce flame to minimum.

 Cover it and bake it for 20 to 30 mins.

Let it cool down for 10 mins.
Take them out into a plate.
Instead of all purpose flour you can also use besan or gram flour.
Enjoy your yummy  yummy naan kathai :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Bourbon biscuit

Generally i don't like chocolate very much, but some how i like bourbon biscuits very much.... So i tried making them and here is the recipe for it .... :)

Preparation time : 30 mins
Makes : 12 - 16

Ingredients :

Butter : 50 grms
Sugar : 50 grms
Golden syrup (or) Honey : 1 tbsp
Plain flour (or) maida : 110 grms
Coco powder : 15 grms
Baking soda : 1/2 tsp
For filling (or) for cream :
Icing sugar : 75 grms
Butter : 50 grms
Coco powder : 1tbsp
Coffee essence : 1 tbsp (or) 1/2 tsp of instant coffee dissolved in a tsp of water

Method :

Preheat oven to 160 degrees centigrade .
Cream the butter , sugar together well, beat in the golden syrup.
Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together and work into the creamed mixture to make a stiff paste.
Knead well then cut out the shapes.
Roll out on a lightly floured surface into an oblong strip about 5mm thick.
Cut into 6 cm fingers.

Place on a greased baking sheet covered with grease proof paper.
Sprinkle some sugar on top.

Bake for 15 to 20 mins.

Leave to cool on a rack.
Prepare filling by sifting icing sugar, beat the butter until soft, add the sugar, coco, and coffee.

Spread on the biscuit and sandwich together.

Yummy Bourbon biscuits are ready to serve.
Enjoy them ........... :)
Thank you, do post your comments !!!

Smily face cookies

These are fun to prepare and tastes good, and more interesting thing is you will get a different smile on each smiley face :) 

                

Preparation time : 2 hours approx

Makes : 30 approx

Ingredients :

Unsalted butter at room temperature : 1 cup

Sugar : 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup ( i felt 1/2 cup little less)

Vanilla extract : 1 tsp

Salt : 1/4 tsp

All purpose flour / maida : 2 3/4 cups

Unsweetened cocoa powder :  2 1/2 tbsp

Method :

Take a bowl, add butter, sugar and cream them together until well blended and fluffy.

Add vanilla extract and salt, mix it once.

Now slowly incorporate the flour into this mixture (with an electric whisk in low speed)

The dough will be loose and crumbly.

Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. 

Lightly kneed the dough just until texture is evenly distributed..

Divide dough into 1/3 and 2/3 portions.

Chocolate dough : Sprinkle cocoa powder over the 1/3 portion. Knead until cocoa has been fully incorporated. ( We use this dough for making smile and eyes )

Remaining 2/3 portion of the dough will be used for making face.

Now, make eyes and smile with chocolate dough.

For eyes, take some chocolate dough (say 40 %) and roll into 2 thin strips.

For smile , take some chocolate dough (say 60 %) and roll it to 2 inch wide piece.

For face you need : Take the white dough, divide it into 1/3 and 2/3

Roll 2/3 dough into a rectangle shape ( same length as smile)

Take that 1/3 dough divide it into half,with first half make 3 thin strips and roll the second half to 2 inch wide.

Now assembling face : 

Place white rectangle shape thing on work surface.

On top of it place chocolate smile that we rolled, placing it at the edge of the long end.

Add that rolled white one (that we made from 2nd half of white 1/3 dough)

Now place chocolate eyes dough ( 2 thin strips) on filling the every space with a strip of white dough 

( w c w c w , place strips in this order on top)

Finally, roll up the entire layer and shape the dough into long log.

Wrap the dough tightly with a cling film and chill in fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking.

(Cookie dough can be stored in fridge for few days or in the freezer for months)

Preheat oven to 350 F or 175 C. 

Slice cookie dough into 1/4 inch thickness and then lay them on a cookie sheet or baking tray.

Bake for 12 to 15 mins or until the edges are slightly brown. 

Cool cookies on a rack.

Store them in a tight container.

I prepared these by seeing a video from you tube and here is the link for it and you too can check it for a detailed understanding of this recipe http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dksRSsfYo34
She adopted it from this blog http://khern.wordpress.com/2009/07/28/smiley-face-ice-box-cookies/

Enjoy your cookies :)

Thank you, do post your comments !!!