" Orange cookies "

My mom used to buy those orange cookies from a local bakery in Malda, west Bengal. Yes, most of you must be aware of Malda, because it is famous for mangoes. My beloved father was posted there and around 6 years of my precious childhood were spent there. Malda is a small town on the bank of sacred river Ganges. Those cookies were really very flavourful and most of the time I licked the cream first and then eat biscuits. Yes I don’t eat that much biscuits but that orange flavour compelled me :).

If you are equally crazy for this citrusy beauty then the recipe I’m going to share is the best orange cookies recipe I’ve ever tasted. You won’t believe that it just contains orange rind, not even the juice. No artificial flavoured cookies can stand in front of this and why to buy those artificially coloured and flavoured orange cookies when you can make yours in half an hour and if you want the orange cream I can give you an awesome recipe for that too. the recipe is again from fondbites, bakealong and I’m glad that I made them. The aroma coming from my kitchen was so strong that I immediately went into flashback mode. I ate 3 cookies straight away while they were cooling and I tell you there is nothing like warm cookies straight from the oven. So here you go :)

Ingredients

All purpose flour – 150 grams

Vanilla flavoured custard powder – 25 grams

Unsalted butter (at room temperature) – 115 grams

Caster sugar – 115 grams

Egg yolk – 1

Caramel syrup /Golden Syrup/Honey/ – 2 tsp (I used caramel syrup)

Orange zest – 2 tsp

Cream of tartar – 1/2 tsp (I used same amount of white vinegar)

Baking soda – 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

For orange cream

Fresh orange zest – 1 tsp

Fresh orange juice – 1 tsp

Unsalted butter – 40 grams

Icing sugar – 75 grams

Orange food colouring – 4 drops (optional)

Method

1. Pre- heat oven at 180 degree Celsius. Line up a baking tray with butter or parchment paper.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar (if you got any) in a big bowl. Mix the custard powder along with it.

3. In another bowl add butter and sugar. Beat them together for exact 5 minutes until it becomes airy and creamy.

4. Now add the orange rind to the mixture. Be careful; use only the orange coloured portion of the skin. White portion will make the cookies bitter. Add caramel syrup, egg yolk and white vinegar (if you are using it instead of cream of tartar) to the mixture and mix them at a medium speed.

5. Now fold the flour mixture into this. Just incorporate everything in dough.

6. The last step is to roll small lemon sized balls, then flatten them in cookies shape and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown top.

For cream

1. In a bowl add butter and icing sugar and beat it well.

2. Now add orange zest and juice and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is creamy and fluffy.

3. Transfer the cream into a piping bag and pipe the cream in the centre of a cookie and then make a sandwich. You have to wait for minimum 15 minutes for cream to set before devouring them.

I’m sure after eating these cookies you will never buy those artificial flavoured cookies. Ok ok, I won’t exaggerate, you decide by yourself :)

Enjoy!