Osmania Biscuits

I am sure you all would have heard about the very famous Osmania biscuits from Hyderabad. They are equally famous like its counterpart Karachi Biscuits. They are simply yummy and pairs very well with Iranian chai 🙂 My maiden attempt at trying these, it tasted yum but got a bit over browned as I was occupied talking to Amma over the phone. These biscuits being thinner than most cookies, bake very fast so please remember to keep a constant eye on it while baking.

Ingredients:

• All purpose flour 100 gm
• Vanilla custard powder 25 gm
• Milk powder 20 gm
• Baking powder 1/2 tsp
• Salt a pinch
• Powdered sugar 50-60 gm
• Butter 75-80 gm
• Cardamom powder 1/2 tsp
• Saffron milk 2-3 tbsp

Method:

• Cream the butter and the powdered sugar till its soft and fluffy and light in colpur.
• Sieve the flour, custard powder, milk powder, baking powder, cardamom powder and salt together.
• Add the dry ingredients into the butter-sugar mixture and mix. Add a spoon of the saffron milk to the dough.
• Add little milk or butter if the dough appears too dry. Do not knead hard.
• Keep the dough inthe regrigerator for an hour or so.
• After an hour, preheat the oven at 170-180 degree Celsius for atleast 10 minutes.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper and keep it ready.
• Make big balls if the dough and roll each ball into a disk by keeping the dough between a layer of parchment paper.
• Cut into big roundels using a cookie cutter. They should not be very thick. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Arrange them neatly on the baking tray leaving some gap between two consecutive biscuits.
• Brush each biscuit with the saffron milk and garnish each biscuit with a saffron strand.
• Bake for 12-15 minutes or till it looks done and the sides look golden.
• Remove from oven and allow it to remain in the tray for few more minutes.
• Transfer onto a cooling rack and cool it well.
• Store in airtight containers. Enjoy.

Notes:

• Each oven behaves differently. So check it after 12 minutes. If it bakes longer it will not have a nice saffron colour and will overbrown due to the saffron milk wash on these biscuits.
• Adjust the sugar as per your taste. I prefer my cookies mildly sweet.
• If you do not have custard powder replace them with cornflour and vanilla extract.