Penny Eisenberg: Recipe

Yummm

Hamantashen
from Light Jewish Holiday Desserts

The traditional Ashkenazi dessert for Purim is hamantashen, a triangular cookie usually filled with poppy or prune filling. According to different theories, the triangular shape of the hamantashen or "Haman's pockets" is supposed to represent Haman's pockets filled with lots, his tri-cornered hat, or his ears. The shape may also represent the three Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who inspired Queen Ester. The most traditional filling is poppy seed (or "mohn" in Yiddish), perhaps because the Yiddish word is so close to "Homen" (Yiddish for Haman).

I've cut out just a small quantity of the butter, so that they will still taste and feel like the cookies that you know and love. I've also made them smaller which reduces the fat per cookie. In my classes, most people prefer not to make their own fillings, but I always do, because I like to tailor the sugar to the fruit used. (For Apricot and Prune fillings, see Light Jewish Holiday Desserts).

Serve on: Purim, Yom ha-Atzma'ut, Shabbat

Dairy or Pareve

Makes 26

1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour,
     lightly sprinkled into a measuring cup

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (60 grams) sifted cake flour,
     lightly sprinkled into a measuring cup

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
     (use vegetable shortening for pareve)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange juice

1 large egg, cold

Filling

One 12 ounce jar prune, or other filling, or

homemade filling, see below

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F, with shelves in the middle and lower third of the oven. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. Place the all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a food processor bowl. Process just to mix ingredients together.

3. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch chunks and place on top of the flour. Pulse-process until the butter is cut into the flour so that the mixture looks like coarse meal.

4. In a bowl, lightly whisk together the vanilla extract, orangejuice, and egg. With the processor running, add the egg mixture through the feed tube. Pulse-process for 10 seconds, 3 times. Dump the dough out onto a board. You should be able to press it into a ball that is neither sticky nor dry. When you shape the dough you will know if it is the right consistency: it will not be too sticky to roll, and the dough will not crack when you fold up the edges to make the triangles. If the dough is not right after shaping the first cookie, it can be put back in the processor and a little more water or flour added. If necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons more cake flour, a little at a time, to make the dough the proper consistency (those who are weighing the flour should use 240 grams, which makes the perfect consistency).

5. Because this dough has so much sugar in it, it gets stickier as it sits. It is best to use it at once, and to work quickly.

6. Divide the dough into 2 pieces. Flatten each piece, and roll it to a scant 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds. Gather the scraps, re-roll and cut. Place 1 rounded teaspoon of filling, almost centered, just slightly closer to the top edge than the bottom edge. Fold the edges towards the center to form a triangle, leaving a bit of filling showing (diagrams can be found in Light Jewish Holiday Desserts). Pinch the edges to seal.

7. Place the cookies 1/2-inch apart on the cookie sheets. Put one cookie sheet on each rack. Bake 6 minutes, switch the position of the top and bottom cookie sheets, and continue to bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until cookies are firm, but not browning. Cool completely before eating.

Nutritional notes per serving (with bought prune filling): 105 Calories, 3g Fat (28%), 8mg Cholesterol, 17g Carbohydrates, 1g Protein, 43mg Sodium, .5g Fiber

RDA % - 0% Vitamin A, 0% Vitamin C, 1% Calcium, 3% Iron

Mohn Filling

1 cup poppy seeds

1/2 cup boiling water

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 large egg

1. Soak the seeds in the boiling water until cool, or overnight.

2. Grind the seeds in a coffee or spice grinder, as finely as possible. A mortar and pestle can also be used.

3. Combine the seeds, water, honey, lemon juice and cinnamon in a small pot and cook over medium heat until the filling is thick, stirring frequently.

4. Remove from heat, cool, and then stir in the egg. Refrigerate until ready to use.