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This year the Jewish holiday of Purim (see below for links to the history of Purim and how to celebrate it) was Feb. 9 -10, and I decided that, for the first time, I would make Hamantaschen! (Or Hamentaschen, depending on how you choose to spell it!) I think that the last time I had Hamentaschen ("Hamen's Pockets" in Yiddish; they're called "Oznei Haman" אוזני המן in Hebrew, meaning "Haman's ears"- read the story of Purim below to understand why...) on Purim, they were in a "Mishloach Manot"- a traditional foodie gift parcel I was given when I was in the IDF... They were a fun holiday treat, but they weren't terribly good: heavy cookie-dough, with very little nondescript filling, they weren't exactly a delicacy... These, while not Pinterest-Gorgeous, were VERY good- a buttery, thin, and flaky dough, with lots of tasty filling! They are also fast and easy to make! Hamantaschen are are delicious with a cup of coffee, a glass of milk, or a glass of wine! Google and you will find a thousand Hamentaschen recipes out there; having never made them before I used Jamie Geller's "classic" Hamantaschen recipe, (she has at least 10 on her website), because her recipes always work! :-) I did half of them with the traditional poppy seed (Mohn) filling in the recipe, and half with Bonne Maman Four-Fruit Jam: https://jamiegeller.com/…/hamantaschen-with-easy-poppy-see…/ Chef Dan gave them his seal of approval and we ate them all up before Purim had ended! :-) These Hamantaschen are really delicious little cookies, and can be made any time, not just for Purim!
And now, on to the Hamentaschen Chronicles!
NOTE: if you make this recipe there are several things not mentioned in the recipe which I put in bold below: soften the butter, flour the board and the rolling pin... do not overfill them, or they will fall apart or leak while baking... and grease the cookie sheet you bake them on!
As you will see in the recipe, you mix the sifted flour and and ground almonds (you can make ground almonds by putting sliced almonds in a food processor, and processing them until they are ground) in a bowl. Then you beat the softened butter with the confectioners's and granulated sugar in another bowl. You add the eggs, and then the flour and almond mixture, baking powder, and salt. You mix it into a dough, and wrap the ball of dough in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least an hour. Now you make the poppy seed filling: Cook the orange juice, sugar, and poppy seeds for 15 minutes, add the honey and lemon zest, and cook for another 5 minutes. Let it cool- it will thicken. If you are using jam or another filling (there are many possibilities- "Google" Hamantaschen Recipe!) get it ready. Grease a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees. Take the dough out of the refrigerator, flour your board and rolling pin, (you will have to do this several times, as the dough will stick to the table and pin otherwise), and roll the dough out very thinly. Cut 3" diameter circles with a cookie cutter or a drinking glass as shown in my photo. Put about 1/2 a teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle, as in my photo. Do not overfill them, or they will fall apart or leak while baking!! Fold the dough up on three sides as in my photo into a triangle as in my photo, and pinch the edges closed. Place the Hamantaschen on the greased cookie sheet and bake them for about 10 minutes in the 375 F degree oven. They will be pale golden; do NOT over bake them!
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| How to make Hamentaschen... |
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| How to fill Hamentaschen... |
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| On the cookie sheet... |
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| Hamentachen, ready to eat! |
The carved, wooden Megillah Esther in the top photo- an Esther Scroll with the story of Purim hand-written on parchment- is the only piece of Judaica I have from my family, besides my father's Bar Mitzvah Talit & prayer books. Everything else was either lost or stolen; I have no idea. My uncle David, my mother's brother, gave me this Megillah many years ago, telling me that he was giving it to me as I was the only one in the family who would care about it. Due to intermarriage, I am the last Jew on both sides of my family...
For lots of great information on the holiday of Purim and how to celebrate it, check out Chabad: https://www.chabad.org/.../default_cdo/jewish/Purim.htm
Here is the "condensed" version of Purim, the Megillah Esther, or Esther Scroll: https://www.chabad.org/holidays/purim/article_cdo/aid/3602036/jewish/What-Is-the-Book-of-Esther-About.htm
What dishes do you make for Purim, and how do you celebrate? Let me know in the comments!
Hag Samay'ach- Happy Holidays!
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