Cumin Cookies

Today I want to share a news with you guys! I m really excited about it and hope that you all will support and encourage me in this endeavor.

I have enrolled myself for one year certificate course in baking at Sophia College, Mumbai. The college will start from 11th of July and I m really looking forward to learn from pros and to (hopefully) finally understand the chemistry behind the art of baking.

This decision has been long time coming as I originally intended to join the course two years back. But my pregnancy and delivery resulted in postponing, and there was one point when I felt that I won't be able to do it because of Saee's (my eight year old) demanding school and extra curricular schedule and Ira ...well Ira being what a normal 20 month old toddler be, with teething problems and all. But after lot of deliberation, discussions, poking and finally pushing from my pillar of strength, my husband Sagar, and my super support group, my in laws and my SIL and bro, I have found the confidence to join the college and pursue my passion.

I hope you all are happy for me and equally excited, as I am, while starting this new phase in my life. And even though my days from now on will run on tight schedules, I am not not going to stop blogging. The frequency of posts might get affected, but I will try to post at least once a week.

These cookies taste incredible with an unusual flavour. It's a marriage made in heaven of buttery and sugary taste with lemon-cumin flavours. They are chewy while warm and crisp when cool. The original recipe had only cumin sprinkled on top, I went ahead and added my personal touch to these cookies by sprinkling some chilli flakes on top of half of my batch. The sweet buttery texture intermingled with the cumin and slight hint of chilli is a riot of flavours packed in small circles.

And these are regular cumin topped ones ready to go in the hot oven

And here's fresh out of the oven

Cumin Cookies
Adapted from Poires au Chocolat who, in turn, adapted from Guardian
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
125 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
25 grams caster sugar
zest of 1 lemon
175 grams all purpose flour
pinch of salt
approximately 1 tablespoon milk


Method:
Put the cumin in a dry frying pan on medium heat and toast, tossing, for two minutes, until fragrant – don't let them burn – then leave to cool.
Put half the seeds in a bowl with the butter, sugar and lemon zest, and cream together until light and fluffy. Work the flour and salt into the butter mix with a fork, then add just enough milk – a tablespoon or so – to bring it together into a dough. With your hands, form into a ball, wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3 and grease two oven trays, or line them with parchment. Break the dough into walnut-sized pieces, roll each into a ball, then squash into little cakes about 1.5cm deep. Place on the trays, leaving some room for spreading, and top with the reserved cumin seeds. Bake for 15-20 minutes until just golden. Leave to cool on a rack (they'll firm up as they cool) .