‘Kleeb Lamduan’ Thai shortbread cookies ขนมกลีบลำดวน

Our presentation for today is baking Tradition Thai style cookies.  This style of cookies made in the shape of flower, in Thailand we called ‘Lamduan flower‘ ดอกลำดวน หรือ ดอกหอมนวล with the feature of the cookies to made to look like ‘Lamduan flower’  The main ingredients for this cookies included with 3 ingredients are flour, sugar and oil. This cookie  is often used on auspicious occasions such as Thai weddings.  The special of this dessert is each bite you can taste scented candle and also the cookies itself is light as you can feel melt in your mouth as old saying . (melt in your mouth or not melt but hard to bite is up to how we gentle to combine the three ingredients)  If you like shortbread you may like to try this Thai style cookies.  Today I made ‘Kleeb Lamduan’ in original style and this recipe is from my cooking school. This cookies are great for afternoon tea or pack for gift.

Ingredients (Make about 80 pieces) 3 Cups All purpose flour 1 cup Granulated sugar, I use extra fine granulated sugar 3/4 cup   cooking oil and extra for attached the petal, today I use sunflower oil (add more oil for cold weather) 1 egg yolk 1 fragrant or scented candle used for smoking sweet (from Thailand) If you are interesting to order a scented candle (Fragrant incense candle) you probably can visit here for online order.

“P.S. If you are not familiar with scented candle and think it is strange … so you may not use it but add vanilla bean or vanilla extract to the ingredients. So it may sound easier.”

Preparation, Baking & smoked with scented candle

• Sift 2 times of all purpose flour.
• In a mixing bowl, combine sifted all purpose flour with granulated sugar. Then gradually pour small amount of cooking oil to dry ingredients until finish the oil then gently knead to combine ingredients together. Use damp cheese cloth to cover and rest it for about 1 hour.
• Divide dough to shape a round ball by hand gently, at this point you will know that the dough is ok or not if it is dry and break so you should add small amount of oil and try to shape until the ball is not breakable easily. Diameter for each ball is about 1.5 centimeter (Is approximately 0.59 inch). At first you may shape all the ball in tray. Then use a sharp knife cut into 4 segments. Make ‘Lamduan’ flower with 3 pieces of segments and attach with cooking oil. (touch a little bit of oil at the end of petal)
• Place flower shape into baking tray (lay baking paper is fine)
• Then Make a centre by useing a small round ball touch a little oil to put on the top of flower. (This mean that when we cut into 4 part w will use 3 petals for one ‘Lamduan flower’ so that one piece left can use for a center. This point you will start to see the ‘Lunduan’ flower feature.
• score each stigma (as picture)
• Retouch middle of each centre flower with egg yolk.
• Bake 300 F (150 celcious) for about 20 minutes. Let cool before smoked the cookies with Thai scented candle. (When smoke cover with lid and smoke for about 10 minutes)

Little note:

1. Scented candle is necessary for the tradition style. In case of inconvenience to get one. You may add vanilla beans or vanilla extract instead.
2. Too much oil will effected to change the shape of petal while baking and cookies texture became harder. Avoid adding too much oil.
3. Too less oil also difficult to shape a round ball and cookies break easily.
4. Gentle shape a round ball.
5. cookies prefer the colour to ivory colour (not golden brown)
6. Combine ingredients together by hand GENTLY 🙂