Hamantaschen

March 10, 2015

When I was a kid, my class celebrated Purim and we ate Hamantaschen. I didn’t like them. They were a pasty bore. I remember thinking that since Haman (the Hamantaschen’s namesake) was a bad man, that’s why the Hamantaschen didn’t taste good (these are the machinations of little girls)! So, when I saw that we were making Hamantaschen this week, I at least felt willing to re-experience what I remember as being an unpalatable “treat.” When they were baked and cooled, I tasted one, and they were nothing like I remembered. The fragrant filling made so much sense to me. They are genuinely delicious, and if I had only been given THESE Hamantaschen when I was a kid, I would have been a lot more enthusiastic about Purim.

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Ingredients

Volume Grams Ounces

Instructions

SWEET COOKIE CRUST

I actually bought Turbinado sugar and used it in the pastry. My food processor didn’t reduce the granulation much, in spite of my shaking the machine while it was running. I just used the coarser sugar as is and continued with the recipe. It came together normally, and I refrigerated it overnight.

POPPY SEED FILLING

Thankfully, I had some Apricot Lekvar leftover from the Ischler. It was surprising to me how the poppy seeds absorbed the milk.

Beautiful poppy seeds before they were ground.

Thankfully, I had some Apricot Lekvar leftover from the Ischler. It was surprising to me how the poppy seeds absorbed the milk.

The poppy seeds with the milk, honey and lemon.

ROLL THE DOUGH

I found the whole experience was fast and fluid. I rolled and cut the pastry, weighed the poppy seed filling onto each cut out, and wet the edges with water and a finger. I glazed and chilled them for 30 minutes while the oven heated up.

BAKE THE HAMANTASCHEN

I baked them and took them out when the pastry was nicely browned.

COOL AND GLAZE THE HAMANTASCHEN

I simply put a spoon of lekvar in a small bowl with enough water to make it pourable, then I spooned a small amount over the poppy seed filling and with a small brush, smoothed it out. The Hamantaschen with the lekvar looks a bit like cataracts, but they tasted good warm.

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