Bourbon Biscuits

Children's favourite homemade bourbon biscuits!

Ingredients for the biscuits

• All-purpose flour (maida): 1 cup
• Butter: 3 tbsp
• Desi ghee: 2 tbsp
• Cocoa powder: 2 tbsp
• Powdered sugar: 1/4 cup
• Milk: 3 tsp (at room temperature)
• Baking powder: 1/2 tsp
• Vanilla essence: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: a small pinch (skip the salt if you use salted butter)
• Granulated sugar, to sprinkle

Ingredients for the cream

• Butter: 2 tbsp
• Cocoa powder: 3 tbsp
• Powdered sugar or castor sugar: 3 tbsp
• Milk: 1 tsp

Mix all the cream ingredients together except the milk, then add milk as needed. Do not make the cream too loose, or it will squeeze out from between the biscuits.

Method for the biscuits

1. Put the butter and ghee in a bowl. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture becomes light.
2. Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder and baking powder into the same bowl.
3. Add the vanilla essence and 2 tsp of milk.
4. Mix everything together to make a smooth dough. Add a little more milk if needed.
5. Keep the dough in the fridge for an hour.
6. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out with a rolling pin between sheets of butter paper.
7. Cut the biscuits into long rectangles. Prick holes on top with a toothpick.
8. Sprinkle some granulated sugar over the biscuits.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 12 minutes.
10. Let the biscuits cool completely.
11. Spread the cream between 2 biscuits and press gently.

Your bourbon biscuits are ready! This recipe makes about 12 biscuits. Enjoy them with hot ginger tea or coffee.

Non fried Batatevade

Guilt-free batata vadas, cooked in an appe pan instead of being deep fried!

Ingredients for the potato filling

• Boiled and mashed potatoes: 2 cups
• Finely chopped onion: 1/2 cup
• Ginger paste: 1 tsp
• Garlic paste: 1 tsp
• Green chilli paste: 1 tsp
• Chopped curry leaves: 1 tsp
• Lemon juice: 3 tsp
• Red chilli powder: 1 1/2 tsp
• Hing (asafoetida): 1/2 tsp
• Cumin seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp, or to taste
• Coarsely ground peanut powder: 2 tbsp
• Chopped coriander: a handful
• Vegetable oil: 4 tsp

Ingredients for the batter

• Besan: 3/4 cup
• Water: as needed
• Baking soda: a pinch (optional)

Method

1. Put the boiled, mashed potatoes in a vessel.
2. Add the ginger, green chilli and garlic pastes, the peanut powder and a handful of coriander leaves.
3. Add 1 tsp of red chilli powder, salt and the lemon juice.
4. Mix everything well.
5. Heat 2 tsp of oil in a kadhai.
6. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, hing and curry leaves. Add the onion and sauté until translucent.
7. Add the potato mixture and mix well.
8. Shape the mixture into small balls.
9. For the batter, put the besan in a bowl. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder and salt to taste. Add water to make a smooth batter, and a pinch of baking soda if you like.
10. Grease an appe pan with a little oil.
11. Dip the potato balls in the besan batter and place them in the appe pan.
12. Cook on both sides until golden.

Enjoy these guilt-free hot batata vadas with chutney and a hot cup of tea!