Chocolate Swirl Naankhatai ( shortbread swirl cookies)

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups all purpose flour
• 1 egg ( room temp)
• 8 oz butter ( room temp)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup fine shooji ( semolina)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tsp cocoa powder

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a cookie sheet or tray with parchment paper.
2. Cream sugar and butter in a stand mixer or hand held mixer until fluffy.
3. Add the egg and mix. Add flour, baking powder , cardamom powder and vanilla extract and mix again.
4. Add semolina and mix well. Gather everything with a spatula.
5. Divide the dough in half and add the cocoa powder to one of the halves.
6. Make small balls from both the plain and chocolate mixes. Keep them separate.
7. Arrange the balls in a pattern ( chocolate, plain, chocolate, plain) in a circular pattern in your palm. Like a flower. See a video posted on my instagram @thismomskitchen for clarification.
8. Gather the balls together gently and make a dome in your palm.
9. With the other hand, gently roll the balls in a swirly pattern ( try to keep the bottom hand steady). See video . Do not flatten.
10. Place on prepared sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a cooling rack. Enjoy!

Tip: make sure your hands are cold before swirling.

** recipe adapted from Mumtaz Hasham**