Khalifa Bakers, Pakistan

As much as I love to travel, no, I have not been to Khalifa Bakers myself, as it is located in Pakistan.

I have however been fortunate to try their signature product, naan khataai, an almond biscuit.

Why on earth would I care about an almond biscuit?  By biscuit, I do mean cookie-like thing, a shortbread, and I do love baked goods, but you know I'm not generally a cookie girl.  But this is different.  A thing of beauty.  Well, not beauty.  But deliciousness.

Packaging.

Khalifa Bakers has been around since 1925, and is located inside Mochi Gate, in Lahore.  The bakery has been a family business the whole time.  That's ... about all I know.  Besides the fact that it is *very* popular.  They even have a delivery service in the city now.

But my experience was at my office, when a co-worker brought them back.  They came in a simple box.  I thought nothing of them, until I tried a bite that had broken off of one.  After I quickly devoured a whole one, I went to do a little research, but, still don't have much useful to tell you.

Naan Khataai

The biscuits don't really look like much.  They even look kinda burnt.  Slightly covered in powdered sugar.

But they are fantastic.  The base is like a shortbread, incredibly buttery.  Well, not buttery exactly, as they are made with ghee.  The buttery nature is intense.  They are sweet, but certainly not too sweet.  Just right.

I loved the texture.  Soft, a bit crumbly, but with whole chunks of almonds in for crunch.

I know this still doesn't sound like much, just like, well, a shortbread cookie, but the flavor and texture were really quite unique.  I found myself quickly addicted.  To a cookie.

I can't say I'l have the opportunity to have these again, but I'd gladly welcome it, if I did.