Hamantaschen are a traditional triangular cookie eaten on the Jewish holiday of Purim--and are said to recall either the three-cornered hat (or ears) of Haman, the villain in the Purim story. Though many people refer to them as Hamentaschen both in singular and in plural, Hamentash is the correct word for one of these delectable cookies. They can be filled with everything from various fruit preserves, to chocolate chips or, the more traditional poppy seed (which, for ease, comes in a can.) I have never been a great fan of poppy seed. My favorite filling has always been apricot--so I have included that one along with a prune version--but the sky's the limit to your creativity! (Just stay away from fillings that are too thin or runny, as they will leak out of the corners of your cookies.)
These are the lightest and flakiest Hamantashen you will every taste!
This recipe can be doubled (or tripled) to make as many as you need, and freezes very well so you can make them in advance.
The only special equipment you will need is a 3-inch round cookie cutter (or glass) and a rolling pin. My moms's directions call for a food processor, but you can definitely make it by hand with a little bit more elbow grease--you will not, however, get the satisfaction of seeing all of the ingredients magically turn into a ball of dough.
Your child will love to play with this smooth and squishy dough and help with cutting circles and pinching the corners of the triangles even if you have no connection to the holiday of Purim.
Mommy's Hamantaschen
makes about 36 smallish cookies
Ingredients:
3 c flour
1/2 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c frozen margarine
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp water
Directions for making dough:
Combine dry ingredients in bowl of processor. Pulse processor three or four times. Cut margarine
into tablespoons and add to flour mixture. Pulse several times until mixture resembles small crumbs.
Beat egg with vanilla and two tablespoons water.
Turn on processor and pour liquid through feeding tube. Dough will form in less than a minute. Add one tablespoon more water if mixture seems too dry.
Scrape dough onto a sheet of waxed paper. Wrap well and chill several hours or up to two weeks.
To make the cookies themselves:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Bring dough to room temperature.
Sprinkle flour on a flat surface (a clean counter or marble slab works perfectly!)
Divide dough in thirds.
Take one portion and roll out until it is about 1/8th inch thick. Cut into circles with cookie cutter.
Place about 1 teaspoon desired filling towards the top of the circle. Fold over the top and two sides to form a triangle. Pinch corners together and place carefully on a greased cookie sheet (or one covered with parchment paper.)
Repeat process until all the dough has been used. Combine scraps and roll again to produce a few more hamantaschen.
Before baking, seal corners by pinching them together with water. Bake 10-12 minutes or until hamantaschen are very lightly browned.
Cool completely before eating or freezing.
Apricot Filling:
1 lb dried apricots
1/2 cup sugar
Soak dried apricots in water for 15 minutes before pureeing them in a food processor with sugar.
Prune Filling:
1 lb pitted dried prunes
1/4 cup orange juice
grated zest from 1 orange
Soak prunes in water for 15 minutes before pureeing them in processor with orange juice and rind.