Ginger Cookie....

Ginger Cookies

There was a loud noise...like a gunshot...no worries...we do not have a gun at home...but it did startle us all...me and my cook were trying to open a bottle of nolen gur...I had not heard of this jaggery before...it is a speciality of Bengal...available during the winter months...this is got by collecting palm saps...
My sister picked up one bottle for herself ( she used this while making some kheer )...and had asked me if I would like to try it out too...I am ever game...so said yes...not sure how I would use it...
It had been laying around in my fridge for the past month or so...and finally when I took up this recipe for ginger cookie...which had an ingredient as molasses - decided to try this gur(jaggery) which was in in a liquid form as a substitute.
The sealed bottle was giving us a tough time - and finally it came open with such a bang...the top flew out the kitchen ( had to hunt it down)...the second seal somewhere closer to us...guess this gur(jaggery) generates some gases if stored too long...
Nyways...that was something...be still my racing heart...and calm the cook down(letting her get back to our lunch preparations) and me getting back to my cookie....

This cookie project was a long time in the making...first in idea, then in thought, then in planning....

It all started...{if I may repeat myself ( as I have already written some of this before)}....with one of our get togethers...and I had made some cinnamon cookies which were a big hit...
The idea germinated at that gathering...that I could perhaps make some ginger cookie to take for some friends(who love ginger cookies) and who stay in Pondicherry where we were all visiting later...our cousins B, R, A were going on earlier, we would be meeting up there...looking forward to that...(sorry here I go meandering again).

Then the thought process started - I needed ginger powder - so set about making that ( check out my blog for help on that )....and then the planning...gathering of the rest of the ingredients...did not stop at only making ginger powder - got more enthused and made some cinnamon and cloves powder too...as those were required as well...and the most important part of the process...organising time for it...

Well finally got it all together...and so here we are...with it all done...phew !!! it was a bit tedious, the dough turned out quite sticky..so added some extra flour, and then kept it in the fridge for an hour to harden ...that really helped - it made it easier to work with...

The first lot I took out as per the time mentioned, it was too soft, so kept it a bit longer...by the time the second lot came out, I was a pro...and the next couple of batches were a breeze...it looks amazing...the taste of ginger, along with a touch of cloves & cinnamon...the chewiness and softness of the cookie...it was all too yummy...so to get to the actual cookie, you need to get first to the recipe and then try it out for yourself...so here goes...

Cinnamon Cookies & the misadventures in the making...

I guess the title tells it all....but here goes the whole long tale...

Cinnamon Cookies

There was a story which we had heard when we were young, do not remember it properly - but it goes like this - a monkey ( or maybe a kid  who knows ) was given a banana - and asked to split it equally and give it to two children. 
He peeled it and broke it in half - the halves were not equal - so to make it equal - he took a bite from the bigger half...and then he saw that the other half was a bit bigger - so then he bit from that one...and so on...
You can guess how this one ends...lol !!!

My misadventures was sort of like that story - I did follow the recipe as mentioned...but somehow found that my dough was a little dry ...to counter that I added some ghee (Indian clarified butter) - and that made it too soft and moist...so added some maida ( all purpose flour) - and then felt the sweetness was less, so the final batch was rolled in some sugar/cinnamom powder. (Now I am not sure if my story matches the one above...it just somehow bought that one to my mind)

Nyways...I made a batch with every alteration - so have some 5 different varities of the cookies...with just the one dough. :-). 
See below pictures...                                                                                                                                                                                                     

All 5 varities

Different textures of the cookies

In my quest for the perfect Nankhatai...Indian Cookie

Nankhatai

Nankhatai is one of the most popular Indian cookie, it is very light, crunchy and sweet of course, as a kid it used to be one of my favourite cookies, another was the coconut cookie, and a cookie similar to the Nankhatai was the very famous Shrewsbury biscuit which we would get when ever any one came from Pune ( which is where they were available at a bakery called Kayani's  ).

So where and why did my quest begin ? Well it all started when I came upon a recipe for Nankhatai....and I was like oh! wow, now I can make my own and that was the start of all my travails ....am wondering whether I should trouble all of you with all my troubles...but what the ????....why not...so here goes...

So continuing with my story.....I came upon this while browsing some other recipes on the net ( this is one of my favourite pasttimes....I know...I know...it seems like I have lots of time on my hands..not quite so...but nyways )....and  decided to try it out.

This recipe had all-purpose flour and desi ghee in it...and of course sugar...sounded yumm...so got out my ingredients, bowls...fired up the oven ...tried to follow the recipe as mentioned, but the end  product looked no where liked the picture in the recipe...tasted good, but was a bit crumbly...

Some more research ...( basically googling )....and got another recipe with butter this time...so tried that ...very different flavour and texture...but felt something was still missing...it was more salty ( mainly cause I used salted butter instead of using the unsalted one and adding salt as per the recipe called for ) and it was a bit dry...

Then lightbulb moment...decided to try with a slight modification ( a combination of first and second ) and voila...a much better version....I felt like shouting "Euraka" and dancing around ( though a more censored version than Archimedes's)....

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

After I have written the title I do not think anything more needs to be written ...it is all said...mmmm....( well maybe the recipe, after all that is what this blog is supposed to be about )...hmmm...maybe I could put in a bit about the making & admiring & tasting...& admiring again...

The aroma of  the cookies has filled my house ...just absolutely love it....I think that is the reason I love to bake...just so as to have the house smelling so good...I know there are candles with that fragrance and can imagine that would be a good sell.

Our favourite cookies are oatmeal raisin cookies...and we would often buy a pack of them ....so when I decided to bake some, I went through quite a few recipes for the same...found some very healthy one - with honey and oats etc..did try it out....with disappointing results...not that the cookie was bad ...just not the same as what we were looking for...
Then I came upon this one from the "Joy of Baking" site...and it turned out to be amazing...the only thing I would change it the quantity of sugar - it could do with a little less.

This is good for a snack with milk or just by itself or after a meal for dessert...or if you are like me...just to nibble on and off... am wondering whether any will be left for others :-)