Hamantashen

Hamantashen

Adapted by Blue Heron Kitchen from

Joan Nathan’s “Quiches, Kugels, and Couscous” and

theshiksa.com

Hamantashen are triangular filled cookies that represent the ears of the Persian villain, Haman, in the story of Purim. In Hebrew, they're called "Oznei Haman".  Hamantashen have become a cookie-standard and can be spotted in bakery cases and are available, packaged in supermarkets, sold year-round. They're great. 

The earliest and ‘original’ fillings were probably ground poppy seeds, cooked with sugar and ground into a paste. But now, anything goes – even chocolate! There are recipes for composed fillings that combine poppy seeds, dried fruits and nuts and simpler ones (like mine). You can buy jars of Simon Fischer prune “lekvar” or apricot filling, and they’re really pretty good. You can personalize them by adding cinnamon and freshly grated orange zest.

This year, I made my own lekvar.

These cookies require some planning ahead and handwork.

If you have young children, make a prune-tini and have some fun together!

Leave ample time for the dough to get cold (at least a few hours, or preferably overnight). If you’re making the prune lekvar, same. Don’t use warm filling when forming the Hamantashen.

This cookie is buttery and worth its weight in shekels. However: if the dough becomes too warm, it will be a flaccid and impossible to work with.

Trucs!

    

If you’re not an experienced roller, use the alternate “3 cups” of flour (amount of flour calls for 2 ½ to 3 cups of flour). The dough will have a little more heft.

     

First sheet into the oven: no more than half a dozen to gauge your roll/fill/pinch prowess. 

     

Make sure the dough is thoroughly chilled (if you have the time, opt for chilling it overnight.)

     

Make sure there’s a a dusting of flour on the rolling surface as well as on the top of the dough. 

You don't need to turn the dough over.

     

Have a flat metal spatula, thin or wide, offset or straight. Periodically check that the dough isn’t adhering to the rolling surface by slipping the spatula under the dough.

     

The less you mess with the dough, the better. This is a universal truc.

     

Transfer the circles to the prepared sheets and if the dough has become too soft to work with, return them to the fridge for just a few minutes before proceeding.

If you've held the circles in the fridge for a while and the dough is too cold, it will crack when you're folding and pinching. Wait until it's pliable.

     

Don’t let the dough bully you. Make sure you and your kitchen are cool. You’re the boss.         

Understanding your cookie:

On Purim “Shalach Manot” is a tradition, the Jewish version of "trick or treat", where families send food baskets to other families. Hamantashen are frequently tucked into these baskets. On this holiday, children dress up like the super heroes from this historic battle. (I was always Queen Esther, duh) When my father was little (he grew up on the Lower East Side and in the Bronx), kids went from door to door, trick or treating, for pennies. Instead of "trick or treat for UNICEF!", when the door opened, they'd say (phonetically in Yiddish):

 Hont is Peerum morgan is ost! Gib mere a penny and varf mir a ross!

translated: “Today is Purim, tomorrow it’s not. Give me a penny and throw me out.”

Have a fantastic Purim!

zei gezunt,

jane

Cookie Dough for Hamantashen

Ingredients:

10 oz. (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (suggestions: Plugra, Kerrygold, Kate’s, or if in France, stop laughing)

1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 large egg, room temperature

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract (try Baldwin’s)

1 Tbsp. orange juice

2 ½-3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)

½ tsp. kosher salt

Procedure:

Mis-en-place: (that means to prep) dry ingredients by mixing together in a medium/large bowl the flour, baking powder and salt. Use a whisk to combine. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until combined, scraping down as needed.

Add the egg, vanilla extract and orange juice and continue to mix on medium speed until smooth and creamy, but not ‘whipped’, scraping down, as needed.

Dump in the flour mixture and mix no more than until ingredients are combined.

Roll out about 18”-24” plastic wrap and with a spatula, transfer half the dough into the middle of the sheet. Flatten the dough into a rectangle and bringing the sides of the plastic wrap to the center and the top and bottom together, you’ll have a package ready for the fridge. Repeat this process with the other half of the dough.

Refrigerate for a several hours or overnight.

Prune Filling “Lekvar”

Yield is for a double recipe. Halve (or double) it!

This is a delicious filling for cookies, Danish pastries and it can be used as a spread on toast or in your Greek yogurt! I use it for my Grandma Bessie’s prune roll.

Ingredients:

1 pound dried, pitted prunes

½ cup water

½ cup orange juice

1” piece cinnamon stick

      (if you don’t have stick cinnamon, after you’ve puréed the mixture add some powdered, to taste!)

¼ tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

2 Tbsp. dark brown sugar

1 ½ tsp. grated orange zest (organic orange, best)

Procedure:

Put all ingredients into a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan

Bring to a boil.

Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for approximately 20-25 minutes.

Remove from heat, uncover; and let the mixture cool for about ½ an hour.

Remove the cinnamon stick and using an immersion blender (or you can pour the mixture into a food processor, but take care to not over-process the mixture), purée the prunes to a thick paste.

Cool completely before using as a filling for Hamantashen.

Refrigerated, lekvar  will keep forever weeks.

Making the Hamantashen:

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. and line several sheet pans with parchment paper (or, alternatively, butter them.) Have a small dish of water and a pastry brush at hand. If you don’t have a pastry brush, I recommend you buy one. You can use your finger too. I tried both ways and preferred the brush. 

Roll dough to between 1/8” and ¼” thick.

Using a circle cookie cutter anywhere from 2” to 3” (depends on how big you like your cookies), cut circles and place them directly on the parchment lined sheets (no more than two sheets at a time, a dozen per sheet.)

If the dough has become soft, place the sheets in the fridge to firm up the circles, but if they become too firm, you won't be able to bring it up and pinch it into shape.

Brush the extreme outer edge of the circles with water (you can do this prior to or after you place the filling on the circle. I tried it both ways with pastry brush and finger. I prefer prior to,                                                                                                                                       with brush.)

 Place approximately ½ to 1 tsp. lekvar in the center of each circle.

Lift the edges up to form a triangle, gently pinching them together, leaving a small opening in the center.

Bake either one or two sheets at a time (two sheets: transfer them, top to bottom and front to back) for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Cool on racks. 

(The filling retains heat, so be careful, you shouldn't burn your mouth)

Yield is based upon size of circle, but figure about 3 to 4 dozen. 
These freeze well!

24 Feb. 2013
Thanks to my dear friend and former baker in crime, Janet, for her keen eye and loving support. 

The first paragraph's explanation of "Oznei Haman" (Haman's ears) has already elicited two comments, both arguing that the three-cornered shape symbolizes Haman's HAT. I've done a little snooping and there are more explanations than hats. One was that until King George III, nobody wore three-cornered hats! Another, "taschen" means pocket. Another? His clipped ears! One more ... the three patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Why not throw in the Trinity?!) 

You can add to this discussion in the comment section below!

jane