Purim is a holiday where we celebrate by poking fun at ourselves. We throw all decorum away for the day. It is said that Purim is a time for silliness and humour.
The Purim holiday is also the time when children can go all out and participate in their favourite activities. Kids can dress up, play games, run around and make tons of noise and get away with it.
Our holidays are always known for great food, and Purim is no exception. Kids can gobble up oodles of traditional treats. It’s known for its delicious hamantashen, the official Purim treat, the traditionally shaped triangular pastries that resemble Haman’s pockets, ears or three-cornered hat, that are filled with sweet or savoury fillings.
Wicked Haman was the man who terrorized and plotted to exterminate the Jews in ancient Persia. He is the villain of the Purim story or Megillah that’s read each Purim. Although most details in the real story of Purim should not be discussed with young children, they quickly learn to recognize a major detail – shaking their greggers or noisemakers at the mention of Haman’s name is an important tradition.
Children should be taught to understand that in an era when we are still fighting against anti-Semitism, Purim is a time to celebrate that we have beaten anti-Semitism in our history. So this Purim, encourage your children or grandchildren to have fun and enjoy these scrumptious and amusing hamantashen along with every other entertaining and pleasurable aspect of Purim.
ADORABLE HAMANTASHEN WITH CHERRY FILLING
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. pure almond extract
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 can cherry pie filling
In food processor or in a mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, almond extract, eggs and water. Add in flour, baking powder and salt just until blended.
Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. On a floured board, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thick, and with a glass or cookie cutter, cut dough into 3-inch circles. Spoon 1 teaspoon of cherry pie filling into the centre of each circle. Pinch edges tightly to form three corners. A small amount of the filling should peek out. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Place cookie sheets on wire racks until cool.
Puppet Eyes
2-4 tbsp. white chocolate
M&M’s chocolate candies
2 tbsp. semi-sweet chocolate
Place some parchment paper on a flat tray. Melt the white chocolate in a small glass dish for about 20-30 seconds in the microwave. Mix chocolate with a fork until smooth. Dip the flat end of a wooden spoon into the white chocolate and make a small circle on the parchment paper. This will be the white of the eye.
Add one M&M to the centre of each circle. Continue making white chocolate dots and placing M&M’s until you have enough for a pair of eyes for each hamantash. Place tray in the fridge for 10-20 minutes to cool and harden. Melt semi-sweet chocolate, and using the end of a smaller spoon, dip into the chocolate and make a dot in the middle of each M&M.
Remelt the remainder of the white chocolate, and with a toothpick, dip into the chocolate and make a small white dot on one side of the dark chocolate to look like a reflection of light. Cool in fridge once again. Carefully remove the “eyes” from the parchment paper. Glue the eyes to the hamantashen with another dot of melted white chocolate.
M&M’s HAMANTASHEN WITH CHOCOLATE FILLING
Pastry
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. water
1 tsp. orange zest
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup M&M’s chocolate candies
Chocolate Filling
1 cup chocolate chips
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
In food processor or in a mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, vanilla, eggs and water. Add in orange zest. Add in flour, baking powder and salt just until blended. Add in M&M’s by hand.
For filling, melt chocolate and margarine in a covered Pyrex or microwave safe bowl for 60 seconds. Cool. Combine in sugar, egg and vanilla.
Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. On a floured board, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thick, careful not to crush the M&M’s. With a glass or cookie cutter, cut dough into 3-in. circles.
Spoon 1 tsp. of chocolate filling into centre of each circle of dough. Pinch edges tightly to form three corners. A small amount of the filling should peek out. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Place cookie sheets on wire racks until cool.