Hamantaschen

Hamantaschen (in Yiddish: Kishelish)

These are triangular cookies which are backed for Purim. It’s a traditional Ashkenazic cookie with a triangular shape. The filling can be made of prunes, poppy seed (symbol for the money in Haman’s pocket) or apricots. I like very much the last one.

Here below I give the recipe with the prune filling; also called Lacqua as I read in an old Cookbook written by Elizabeth Wolf-Cohen. This recipe makes about 30 cookies.

Tip: Start early enough with backing, because the dough has to rest for more than three hours. Better during a whole night.

Ingredients for the dough:

• 150 gr. – 2/3 cup butter
• 125 gr. – 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg, light beaten.
• 2 tablespoon milk or water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 300 gr. – 2 ½ cup (or more) flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 30 gr. – 2 tablespoon fresh cheese like Mascarpone (optional)

Prune filling:

• 350 gr. – about 3 cups washed, dried and chopped prunes
• grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 100 cc. – ½ cup water
• 1 tablespoon prune- or apricot marmelade (conserve)
• 1 egg, beaten for glazing (optional).

First preparing the dough: With an electric mixer; beat the butter and sugar creamy for about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, egg and milk and beat until smooth. Sift in the flour, salt and baking powder and stir until well blended. Turn out and knead lightly on a cold floured surface. Shape into a ball, flatten and wrap in kitchen foil. Refrigerate for 3 hours or more, maybe during the night.

Preheat the oven to 375⁰ F / 190⁰ C. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets or cover with baking paper.

Prepare the filling: Put the chopped prunes, the water, orange zest and juice in a pan. Simmer for 5 minutes and let it cool down.

Mix in a kitchen machine and stir in the 2 tablespoon apricot or prunes marmalade. I like the most with apricot.

Roll out half of the dough till 3 mm thickness. Cut out circles with a diameter of 6 cm. I do this with help of a glass. Put again the left over pieces in the refrigerator. Brush the sidelines with a little water. Scoop a teaspoon of filling and drop this in the middle of the round. Pull the dough towards the center and form a triangle with a little filling showing. See the picture. Place them on the baking sheets 2,5 cm /1 inch apart. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Brush with egg. Bake for 20 minutes till crisp and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. You can keep them fresh in a well closed box. Bon appetit and have a good Purim festival.

Jacoba Spijker-Kort