We all recognize that poppy seed or jam taste when we bite into hamantashen on Purim every year. But given the right filling or dough, the traditional pastry has a lot more to offer.
Hailed as the “Queen of Kosher” and the “Jewish Rachael Ray,” best-selling author Jamie Geller is the founder of the Kosher Media Network, publisher of Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller magazine and JoyofKosher.com. Geller’s online cooking videos have garnered more than one million views.
The following recipes, edited by JNS.org, were recommended by Geller and have appeared on JoyofKosher.com and in Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller magazine.
CARDAMOM SCENTED HAMANTASHEN WITH PEAR AND GOAT CHEESE FILLING
By Pessy Haskelevich, writer for Joy of Kosher with Jamie Geller magazine
For a pareve version, simply replace the butter with canola oil and omit the goat cheese.
Pastry:
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 stick butter, or 1/4 cup canola oil
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1-2 tsp. cardamom
pinch of salt
Filling:
1/2 cup water
1/8 cup sugar
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 lb. firm but ripe pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/4-in. diced pieces
3/4 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
8 oz. soft goat cheese (optional)
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Divide the dough in half and chill in plastic wrap for half an hour.
Preparing the filling:
Combine the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and simmer over low heat until sugar has dissolved. Add the lemon juice, ginger and pears and simmer for an additional 10 minutes, or until pears are tender. Set aside to cool.
To assemble and bake:
On a generously floured surface, preferably on baking paper, roll out the dough to a quarter-in. thickness. Roll once, then pick up the flattened dough and turn it 90 degrees.
Sprinkle with more flour if necessary and roll it out again. Repeat until dough is of sufficient thickness (this procedure helps prevent the dough from sticking). Use a round cookie cutter or glass with a 2-3 in. diameter to cut out circles of dough.
Smear a very thin layer of apricot preserves in the centre of each circle. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp. walnuts and a small piece of crumbled goat cheese. Top with 1 tsp. of pear jam.
Lift up the edges of the circle to form a triangle. Pinch the corners securely so that they don’t open in the oven. Line a cookie sheet with baking paper and place the assembled hamantashen on the cookie sheet.
Chill the hamantashen in the freezer for about half an hour. Repeat with second half of dough. Bake the hamantashen in the oven at 375 for 20-24 minutes or until golden. Cool on rack. Makes 2 dozen.
GINGERBREAD HAMANTASHEN WITH SPICED APPLE FILLING
By Tamar Genger, executive editor, Joyofkosher.com
Cookie dough:
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour plus more for dusting
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly milled black pepper
8 tbsp. unsalted margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1 large egg
Filling:
6 tbsp. margarine, cut in 1-in. pieces
1/2 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and scraped of seeds
3 large or 4 medium apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
Gingerbread cookie dough:
Sift the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper through a wire sieve into a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a stand mixer, beat the margarine and shortening on high until well blended, about 1 minute. Add the brown sugar and beat until the mixture is light in texture and colour, about 2 minutes. Beat in the molasses and egg.
Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in the flour mixture to make a stiff dough. Divide the dough into two thick disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until chilled, about 3 hours. (The dough can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.)
Filling:
In a large skillet over medium heat add the margarine and vanilla bean and seeds. Cook about 5 minutes.
Add the apples and let them caramelize on one side, then turn and cook until they begin to caramelize. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the apples and cook, turning occasionally while they soften, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and remove vanilla bean, then puree in food processor and cool until ready to use.
When ready to assemble and bake the cookies, position the racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350.
To roll out the cookies, work with one disk at a time, keeping the other disk refrigerated. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until just warm enough to roll out without cracking, about 10 minutes. (If the dough has been chilled for longer than 3 hours, it may need a few more minutes.)
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the dough 1/8-in. thick. Cut out 3-in. circles and use a spatula to place circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Spoon a tsp. of filling into the centre of the circle of dough and fold together to form a triangle. Bake for 8-10 minutes, remove to wire rack to cool, and enjoy. Makes 36.