Kanpur Cake (Crisp Glazed Cookies)
Crisp and buttery, these traditional 'Kanpur Cakes' are actually delicate tea-time cookies with a rich, shortbread-like texture. The dough is enriched with eggs and milk, then rolled thin and finished with a sweet meringue glaze that bakes to a crisp finish. Alternatively topped with crushed caraway seeds, these biscuits offer a nostalgic taste of colonial-era Indian baking perfect for afternoon tea.
Ingredients
- 1 pound All-purpose flour (Originally 'Mill's No. 1 Wheat Flour'.)
- 1/2 pound Butter (Softened. Originally '0.5 seer'.)
- 1/2 pound Powdered sugar (For the dough. Originally '0.5 seer'.)
- 2 whole Eggs (Use both yolks and whites for the dough.)
- 1/4 cup Milk (Originally '0.5 pasher' (approx 2-2.5 oz).)
- 1 large Egg white (For the topping/glaze.)
- 1/4 pound Finely ground sugar (For the topping/glaze. Originally '0.25 seer'.)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Caraway seeds (Optional alternative topping. Crushed. Originally '0.5 tola'.)
- 2 tablespoons Flour (For dusting/rolling (estimated).)
Instructions
- 1Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare baking sheets by greasing them lightly or lining with parchment paper.
- 2In a large mixing bowl or platter, combine the flour, butter, 1/2 pound of powdered sugar, milk, and the 2 whole eggs (yolks and whites). Knead everything together thoroughly until a smooth, cohesive dough forms.
- 3Dust a clean work surface with a little flour. Roll out the dough into a thin sheet. Using a glass or round cookie cutter, cut the dough into round shapes.
- 4In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 egg white with the 1/4 pound of finely ground sugar to create a glaze. Brush this mixture over the tops of the cut cookies. Alternatively, if you prefer a savory note, skip the glaze and sprinkle crushed caraway seeds on top. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.