Making Osmania Biscuits in the USA Recipe

    Can you tell how much I love Indian milk sweets? This biscuit recipe has become a staple in my household. This sweet, traditionally is served aside masala chai for a quick morning breakfast, or for a great afternoon tea time. Osmonia biscuits are unlike anything I have had growing up in the United States; making this recipe for the first time a few moths ago, it challenged me to use new ingredients that I had never used in a bakery item. When making them for the first time, I had discovered what an excellent paring saffron made. Saffron has become my most recent obsession in the kitchen, but at a pretty cost: One small dish of saffron is around $7 at my local grocery store. 

   

 I wanted to create this recipe for people at home during this quarantine that may not have access to the traditional ingredients for Osmania biscuits. All of my ingredients were bought at Publix, but can also be found at Kroger or Ingles. I was so excited to see that an Asian-Indian grocery store has recently opened up in downtown Tallahassee, so I will be able to finally have access to traditional ingredients. However, I realize this is not the reality for most people in rural areas and small cities. 

                Anyways, lets get right into the recipe: 

Ingredients: 

1.5 cups of Milk powder ( I use carnation instant milk powder)

2/3 cup All Purpose flour 

3 Tablespoons custard powder (I used an instant flan powder) 

3 room temperature tablespoons butter 

Pinch of cardamom (cinnimon and nutmeg if you have it instead)

2/3 cup powdered sugar 

1 tablespoon baking powder 

1/2 cup milk

10 saffron threads 

Directions: Preheat oven to 330 F/165.5 C

1. Begin by placing 1/2 cup milk into the microwave and bring milk to about 110 F/43.4 C, then place saffron threads in to soak while we being to start the dough. Let sit on counter until needed in the last step.

2.  In a bowl, combine butter and sift powdered sugar in and mix until homogenous with no lumps. 

3. Sift the flour, milk powder, custard powder, cardamom, and baking powder into the butter/sugar mixture. Knead dough until smooth, may take up to ten minuets. Add milk into dough one tablespoon at a time if dough is dry and crumbly, I usually have to add about 2-4 tablespoons to dough. Allow dough to rest for five minuets and cover with a damp kitchen towel.   

4. After resting, roll dough out on a floured work surface. Roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out with a three inch biscuit cutter and place on a light colored cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. 

5. Take saffron milk mixture and brush each top of cookie liberally. Bake for 10-13 minuets until tops are golden brown. Cool and Enjoy!