Hamentaschen
From Myron and Janis Seeman
For the dough:
2/3 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3 tbsp milk or water
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 – 3 cups flour
Cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add flour.
Chill dough for 30min.
Roll flat and use the lip of a glass to cut circles.
Insert filling. Fold over with “3 corners”
Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes.
Apricot filling:
11 oz dried apricots, 2 cups water, 4 tbsp sugar.
Boil 20 minutes. Drain. Puree or mash with a fork and mix in sugar.
Prune filling:
Same only with prunes and 2 tsp of grated lemon rind
Other filling options:
-Mohn – 1 cup poppy seeds mixed with 5 tbsp of honey
-Chocolate chips
-Jam of your choice
-Dried fruit of your choice
Round Challah
The turban shaped raisin Challah is served during the Jewish New Year.
Round Challah for Rosh Hashanah
The base recipe is what I use every week to bake Challah:
1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast (1.5 packets)
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
4 large egss lightly beaten
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (or vegetable oil such as canola)
7 cups unbleached flour
Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tb of water)
Poppy or sesame seeds for the top
Makes four 1 pound loaves, the recipe is easily double or halved. Will keep in the refrigerator for 5 days and can be frozen.
1. Mix the yeast , salt, eggs, honey and melted butter with the water in a 5 -quart bowl.
2.Mix in the flour without kneading, using a spoon, a 14 cup food processor with dough attachment or heavy duty stand mixer.
3. Cover (not airtight) and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough collapses, about 2 hours.
4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise, but it is much easier to handle when cold. Refrigerate left over dough in a lidded but not airtight container.
5. For the round Challah:
Sprinkle 1/4 cup raisins after rolling out the dough to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Roll into a log. Rolling the dough between your hands and streching it, form a single long, thin rope, tapering it at one end. If the dough resists shaping let it rest for 5min and try again.
6. Starting with the thick end of the rope, begin forming a coil on the prepared cooking sheet. Allow to rest for 1hr 20min for older dough or 40min fro fresh dough. Brush the loaf with egg wash and sprinkle with seeds.
7. Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake near the center of the over for about 25 min, larger loaves will require longer baking time. The Challah is done when golden brown and the center resists to pressure.
Purim Hamentaschen Cookie Dough
- 1 cube butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 2 Tbs mailk/water or orange juice
- 1 tsp vanilla
Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg. Mix flour and baking powder. Add a little of this mixture to the butter and sugar.
Add liquid and remaining flour. Roll out dough. Cut into rounds using a glass or cup of approximately 3 inches in diameter. Place drop of filling into center of each round.
Form into triangles by firmly pinching the dough together. Bake at 375 F for about 15 minutes until lightly browned. Makes about 24 hamentaschen.
