Romy Gill’s bakarkhani recipe – sweet puff pastry biscuits

“Bakarkhani is the gift of the Mughals to India, along with many other delicious dishes,” says Romy Gill, author of a new cookbook dedicated to the region of Kashmir.

“Across India, bakarkhani keep changing in texture, size and shape. When I was in Kashmir, I got to taste a couple of different kinds: one made bakery-style with puff pastry, and the other made with plain flour, milk and ghee, more like a biscuit. I used egg wash to glaze them, but some use milk.”

Bakarkhani recipe – sweet puff pastry biscuits

Ingredients:
(Makes 5-6)

Plain flour, for dusting
300g puff pastry (ready-made)
1 egg, beaten
2tsp demerara sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan/400°F/gas 6).

2. On a lightly dusted work surface, roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle of about 30cm x 10cm, then cut lengthways into five to six long strips.

3. Roll up each strip into a swirl, then press with your palm to form a round about three to four centimetres thick. Place them on a baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.

4. Bake in the oven for 12–15 minutes. Serve with Kashmiri tea.

On The Himalayan Trail: Recipes And Stories From Kashmir And Ladakh by Romy Gill is published by Hardie Grant, priced £27. Photography by Matt Russell. Available now.