Besan Nankhatai
Ghee rich,nutty and melt in the mouth, these besan nankhatai are classic Indian shortbread cookies made with gram flour, ghee, sugar and cardamom.Enjoy with masala chai!
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Ingredients
- 90 g(~½ cup) ghee softened, but not melted, see note #1
- 90 g (~½ cup) powdered sugar simply grind regular sugar to a fine powder in a dry blender (dont't use confectioner's sugar)
- ½ teaspoon green cardamom powder fresh ground is better
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- 185 g (~1 cup) besan fine gram flour
- 30 g (~3 tablespoon) super fine almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Add the softened ghee and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl. Also add the ground green cardamom and nutmeg ppowder. Using a spatula or a metal whisk, mix until creamy and well combined. You don’t need to whip too much air into the mixture. Also, make sure that the ghee does not melt. The creamed ghee and sugar should resemble a slurry and that way it will be easier to make the dough.
- Sift besan, almond flour and baking powder over the wet ingredients. Start mixing with a spatula at first. As the mixture turns crumbly, use your fingertips to gently bring the dough together. At first you will feel that the mixture isnt coming together but resist the urge to add more ghee or milk. Slowly in a minute or two it will. 'The dough should feel soft but not sticky.
- Take about 1½ tablespoons, or 20 grams, of the nankhatai dough and gently roll it between your palms into a smooth ball. Flatten it slightly and repeat with the remaining dough. You should be able to form 18 to 20 nankhatai.
- Add thinly sliced almonds to a small plate. Gently press the top of each nankhatai into the almonds so that a few slices stick to the surface.
- Arrange the nankhatai on the parchment lined baking sheet, almond side up, leaving about 1 inch of space between each one. These do not spread a lot but make sure that they arent touching each other. Refrigerate the shaped nankhatai for 30 minutes. Chilling helps the cookies hold their shape better as they bake.
- Bake in the preheated 325°F (165°C) oven for 18-20 minutes or until the nankhatai are set and lightly golden around the edges and bottom. Don’t wait for the tops to brown too much. They should be light golden on top when you take them out of the oven. You will see cracks on the top. The nankhatai will continue to toast a few minutes after taking them out of the oven.
- Let the nankhatai cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes before carefully transfer them to a wire rack using a flat spatula. They will be very delicate while warm but will firm up as they cool. Cool completely before serving or storing. Can be stored for 2-3 weeks at room temperature.
If desired, you can entirely skip the almonds on top. My kids do not prefer them.
Notes
- For accurate results, it is best to weigh the ingredients than to measure using cup.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!