Throughout the Jewish world there are many types of dough used to shape pastries into Hamen’s hat, pockets or ears for the Purim treat, Hamentashen. Here is a recipe for a butter dough that is delicious on its own as well as surrounding a luscious fruit filling.
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 eggs sized large
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- confectioners sugar (optional)
- Filling of your choice-canned or homemade
Preparation Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until thoroughly combined.
- Add the eggs, and the vanilla and almond extracts, and beat until lighter in color and fluffy.
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until the mixture starts to hold together.
- Very gently knead the dough on a lightly floured surface about ten strokes or until the dough is smooth and holds together. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
- Roll the dough out on a board that is lightly covered with flour or confectioners sugar. NOTE: the sugar will slightly glaze the baked cookie and make it a little sweeter.
- Cut the dough into 2 ½ inch circles and place 1 scant teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle.
- Using your thumbs and forefingers shape the hamantashen. Imagine the circle is a clock; place your two thumbs at 6 and your forefingers at 2 and 10. Gently bring your fingers together and you will have formed an equilateral triangle!
- Pinch the dough together so that the filling is exposed only at the top of the cookie.
- Bake hamantashen in the pre-heated oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Can be stored in a plastic bag or container when cool or frozen for later use.
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