Scrumptious Cookies:)

Whenever I enter Spencer or Citi center I get bowled over with the smell of freshly baked cookies from Cookie man!!! Though you get a number of packed cookies there is nothing to beat the freshly baked. So one afternoon thought will try making some cookie that is simple, tasty and melt in mouth ;)

Flour, sugar, butter and vanilla essence is all you will need to make this soft yet refreshingly crisp shortbread cookies. A range of deliciously soft cookies can be made by making just a few variations to the original recipe like adding flavouring agents (pineapple essence, Chocolate , cocoa or instant coffee powder) nuts , raisins , chocolate chips(cooking grade) or even cinnamon.

Ingredients

(makes about 10 cookies)

• Flour maida - 3/4 cup (both flour together about130g or 1 cup)
  

• corn flour - 1/4 cup

• butter - 100g ( I used nutralite that is mildly salted, salted butter will make the cookie too salty. If you are using unsalted add 1/4 tsp salt)

• icing sugar - 1/4 cup
• vanilla essence - 1/2 teaspoon
• 6 almonds chopped (optional)
• granulated sugar 1 or 2 tsp

1. Sieve the flours together twice .
2. Mix sugar with melted butter. Beat till smooth.
3. Add vanilla essence , nuts and beat again.
4. Slowly add the sieved flour to the mix and make a dough.
5. Wrap the dough in butter paper, foil or clean plastic sheet and place in the fridge for at least an hour (makes the dough firm)
   
6. Roll it into small balls and flatten on a lightly floured surface (shape it the way you want).
7. Place on a greased tray and refridgerate for 10 mins (to keep the shape intact).
8. Bake in oven (150c for 20 mins worked for me) till cookies are lightly brown.
9. Sprinkle sugar as soon as you remove from the oven (only then they stick)
   
10. Remove from the tray (use a spatula ) and cool them.

(Cookies will become crisp on cooling so remove once they are lightly brown. Baking for a long time will make them crumble)

• If you want crisp and not chewy cookies then avoid cornflour and add just a cup of maida
• Two spoons of riceflour can be added for extra crispness but i havent tried it