Hamantaschen for Purim

Hamantaschen for PurimEven if you are not participating in a Spiel, you can still make your own Hamantaschen for Purim. And, you can always observe the tradition of sharing sweets with your friends and neighbors.

Hint: they also make a great treat year-round.

Hamantaschen
Adapted from Saveur Magazine
Yields about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1⁄4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup flour
2 tbsp. apricot preserves
2 tbsp. raspberry preserves
1 egg white, beaten
Directions
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer (or by hand with a wooden spoon) until fluffy. Add the flour, and continue to beat until thoroughly incorporated.

Form the dough into a ball and flatten into a thin disk. Wrap disk in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.

Transfer the dough to a floured surface, and roll to a 3⁄16″ thickness. Using a 2 1⁄2-inch, round cookie cutter, cut dough into rounds. Collect the scraps, re-roll, and repeat.

Transfer the rounds onto 2 parchment paper–lined baking sheets. They should be about 2 inches apart. Place about 1⁄2 tsp. apricot preserves in center of half the rounds; place about 1⁄2 tsp. raspberry preserves in the center of remaining rounds. Brush egg white around edges.

Fold in edges the to form a triangular shape that will hold the jam, while leaving a small opening at the top. Pinch the three corners together so they hold their shape.

Refrigerate the filled cookies for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 350°, and bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until lightly browned, (about 15 minutes). Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Filling Variations
Apricot Filling
2 cups finely chopped dried apricots, 1 1/3 cups orange juice, 2/3 cup honey, and 1/2 orange, zest grated that have been gently simmered on the stovetop for 15 minutes. Cool completely before using.
Poppy Seed Filling

1 cup poppy seeds, 1/2 cup milk, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons honey, 1/4 cup golden raisins, 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest. Grind the poppy seeds in a food processor or coffee grinder. Place seeds with milk and honey in a medium saucepan, and cook over a medium-low heat until thickened, stirring occasionally (about 20 minutes). Add the raisins and lemon zest. Remove from heat, and cool completely before using.

You can also add a little orange zest to your dough for citrus flavor.

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