by Marcy Goldman
At our baking website, the most baking questions email I get after Thanksgiving, (which yields about 50% pumpkin pie recipes, 30% first time turkey makers, and 20% fear-of-pie-crust mail) is about Purim. This shows you that hamentashen are as popular as bagels are, far beyond the holiday and cultural limits. Purim is also the rare time I get equal amounts of non bakers and bakers, asking for some sort of assistance or recipes. Who doesn't like hamentashen?
In my more zealous days, The Era of The Super Baker, I would make bushels and bushels of hamentashen every few days around Purim, ensuring I had enough pastries for family, as well as friends and relatives. It was an impressive ritual that lasted several years but eventually took its toll. Unwilling to admit to hamentashen burn-out, I then made hamentashen well ahead, and froze them, about 8-12 dozen of then, unbaked, until I required them, baking off a few dozen every few days. I ran the "Purim Assembly Line" like a commercial enterprise.
This system worked well for another couple of years and also got the best of me, but purchased hamentashen were out of the question. I then developed the Modified Hamentashen Assembly Line. Here's what I do.
First I make a couple of batches of dough and freeze it in packets. Next I make a variety of fillings which I freeze or refrigerate (it doesn't matter which). Then Purim arrives and baking begins. Every day or two, I bake up only one or two dozen pastries. This is pretty easy because the dough and fillings are all pre-made. The only thing left is to turn on the oven and whip up a batch of egg wash or glaze. The house smells wonderful, the pastries are absolutely, right-from-the-oven fresh, and I don't feel taxed.
It is a treat for family and friends, reminding them, as they walk into my fragrant, warm kitchen that Purim is special and traditions are worth keeping. "Oh, you sweet dear, they exclaim, "You made fresh hamantschen! That's so nice!". Then they sit down, pluck up a tender apricot, prune, or cherry triangle and wax lyrical about its old-fashioned taste, comparing to this Bubbie, or that grandmother or so-and-so's aunt.
So this Purim take it easy. Bake less but more often and prepare in advance.
Marcy will be happy to answer your baking questions. You can reach her at editors@ betterbaking.com
|
HAMENTASHEN TRICKS & TIPS
* Use parchment paper on your baking sheets - this eliminates clean-up but more important, ensures the bottom of these pastries don't get too brown before their tops are done. * An added protection against burnt bottoms is to add extra insulation- double stack your baking sheets. Fit one baking sheet onto another one. * Bake pastries on the upper third of the oven - usually the bottom part of the oven is too hot and may also cause premature bottom browning. * Paint the whole bottom interior (the part on which the filling goes) of the pastry with water, preferably egg wash. This is quicker than trying to just moisten the outer perimeter and makes for a great seal when you form the rounds into hamentashen triangles. * Roll dough once, then set scraps aside. Roll scraps only once - hopefully you will not have too much excess - because a lean dough like hamentashen dough can only be rolled a couple of times before becoming really tough and baking into dry pastries. |
|
BUBBIE'S ORANGE AND OIL HAMANTASHEN DOUGH
Homey and also traditional, this orange-scented dough made with oil is extra quick and easy - a bowl, wooden spoon and two hands are tools enough, and the one you'll probably most associate with your grandmother's famous recipe. Produces a slightly crisper hamentashen, this recipe should tug at your tastebuds' memory. The cornstarch called for is optional, but helps tenderize the dough just abit for a gentle, not hard crispness. 1 cup sugar 1 cup oil 1/2 cup orange juice zest of one orange, very finely minced 1 teaspoon vanilla 3 eggs 4 cups, approximately, all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda EGG WASH SUGAR (for sprinkling) FILLINGS (Prune, poppy, cherry, apricot, etc.) Using a wooden spoon or wire whisk, blend together the sugar and oil. Blend in the orange juice, zest, vanilla, and eggs. Fold in flour, cornstarch (if using) salt, baking powder and baking soda to make a soft but firm dough. Cover dough with a clean tea towel and let rest 15-20 minutes (can also be chilled up to two to three days - let warm up before rolling out). Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Work with half of dough at a time (cover remaining with clean, dry tea towel). Roll out on a lightly floured board to a thickness of between 1/8 inch. Using the top of a tuna or soup can, or a cookie cutter, cut into 3 inch circles. Brush with egg wash. Fill with a generous teaspoonful of desired filling. Bring three sides or flaps together to form a triangle. Brush pastries with egg wash. If desired, sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake, until light but thoroughly golden, 18-25 minutes. Makes 4-6 dozen, depending on size. Recipe doubles well. |
TRADITIONAL HAMENTASHEN DOUGH This dough, made with shortening and butter, yields a light, cookie-like texture and is similar to the hamentashen, but with your home made taste you could expect to find in a commercial bakery. It is just about my favorite hamentashen dough. If you require a dairy free dough, simply use all shortening or non-dairy margarine (instead of butter and shortening). Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with plain sugar or colored sprinkles. 1/2 cup shortening 1/2 cup unsalted butter or unsalted margarine l 1/4 cups sugar 3 eggs 1/4 cup orange juice or milk 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 4 cups, approximately, all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder EGG WASH FILLINGS (Chocolate Hazelnut Paste, Cherry, Apricot, Prune, or Poppy) OPTIONAL: REGULAR OR COARSE SUGAR Cream the shortening and sugar. Add eggs and blend until smooth. (If mixture is hard to blend or seems curdled, add a bit of the flour to bind). Stir in orange juice or milk and vanilla. Fold in flour, salt, and baking powder and mix to make a firm but soft dough. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and pat into a smooth mass. Cover and let rest ten minutes. Divide dough into two or three flattened discs. Work with one portion at a time. (Wrapped in plastic, dough can also be refrigerated for 2-3 days.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out dough on lightly floured board to a thickness of 1/8th inch. Use a 3 inch cookie cutter and cut into rounds. Brush rounds with egg wash. Fill with a generous teaspoon full of desired filling. Draw three sides together into center. Brush pastries with egg wash. If desired, sprinkle with regular or coarse sugar, and bake in a until golden brown, about 18-25 minutes. If you prefer, this dough can be made ahead and refrigerated (up to 2 days) or frozen (in either a disc of dough or already formed as filled pastries for a couple of months). If refrigerating, allow dough to warm up before rolling out. For frozen pastries, bake without defrosting. Recipe doubles well. About 4-6 dozen pastries.
ALMOST-LIKE-A-BAKERY
CHOCOLATE HAMENTASHEN
Sometimes young children like the dough of the hamentashen but carefully eat around the dried fruit filling. For them, try these Chocolate Hamentashen as a sweet and unique solution. Roll out this dough a little more thinly, fill the center with chocolate hazelnut paste or spread available either in the baking aisle or near the peanut butter section (actually, you can also use peanut butter, providing the kids in questions, or adults, are not allergic to it).
Chocolate hazelnut paste is an instant filling and results in a pastry that is akin to a chocolate shortbread triangle that encases a soft, warm, truffle in its middle. Cherry or Apricot Filling also works well.
As with all of these recipes, you may use 1/2 cup shortening or non-dairy margarine, to replace the 1/2 cup butter.
Try these once and you will have a new "classic" on your hands.
|
CHOCOLATE HAMENTASHEN DOUGH
1/4 cup shortening 3/4 cup unsalted butter or unsalted margarine l 1/2 cups white sugar 2 eggs 1/2-cup milk or water 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/2 cup cocoa powder 4 cups, approximately, all-purpose flour 1/4-teaspoon salt 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder FILLING 1 jar chocolate hazelnut paste (there are a few kosher brands). BEATEN EGG WHITE (for glazing) REGULAR OR COARSE SUGAR, CHOCOLATE JIMMIES Cream the shortening, butter (or unsalted margarine) and sugar. Add eggs and blend until smooth. Add in milk or water and vanilla. (If mixture seems curdled, add a bit of the flour to bind it). Fold in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix to make a firm but soft dough. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead gently to form into a large smooth round. Divide dough in two portions, wrap in plastic and chill 10-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out on lightly floured board to thickness between of 1/4 and 1/8 inch. Cut into 3 1/2 inch rounds with a cookie cutter. Brush rounds with egg wash. Fill with a generous teaspoon full of chocolate hazelnut paste or another desired filling (apricot or cherry work well). Grasp perimeters and bring three sides or flaps together to form a triangle of circle. Brush pastries with egg wash and if desired, sprinkle with regular or coarse sugar, chocolate jimmies and bake in a until golden brown, about 18-22 minutes. If you prefer, this dough can be made ahead an refrigerated (up to 2 days) or frozen (a couple of months). Allow dough to warm up before rolling out. About 4-5 dozen pastries. |
 |