Hamentashen

Without an oven this year, I thought homemade Hamentashen would NOT happen.  Luckily I have LOTS of good friends.  My friend, Jenny, didn't know how to make them, and offered her oven, if I taught her how to make them.

I have wonderful memories of making them as a child, and then as a young married woman and then as a woman.  Of course, I would love to teach someone.  When I student taught in New Salem, MA, I taught an entire class of fourth graders.    They had just read "The Night Journey."  A little nervous too, because I am a slob when I bake.  And I was going to have to let that cover be blown at Jenny's house. 

Yesterday I made the dough in the food processor, in my make shift kitchen in the dining room, and then let the dough rest overnight.  I then carted over some of the supplies we would need (filling, such as chocolate chips, peanut butter, raspberry, poppy seed and apricot), extra flour and some other items.  And of course the recipe.

Jenny was ready for me!  One trick that I taught her was that I make smaller round circles, instead of larger ones.  Because you have to have more than ONE when complete, and I would rather offer three small ones to my kids, and look generous, instead of one large one.  Also taught her that you can flip over a glass and use the rim as the cookie cutter!

We made a few ourselves, and then invited three girls and a boy to help us out.  I was very impressed at how well the kids did with the actual filling and shaping and rolling.  Even more impressed that no one was whining, and was impressed by the unique flavor palate (like putting chocolate chips into the raspberry).  And hearing how one family puts in lemon filling (must try that next year), and how one wanted butterscotch chips for next time or chocolate mint chips (girl scout thin mint meets hamentashen sounds delicious).

Because I made a double recipe, there were tons to take home.  And as Naomi reminded me, we can't eat them all before Purim.

And I can't wait to do another Hamentashen making festival next year!

Hamentashen

-Makes a ton!  Make the dough the night before, and let it rest in the fridge.

3 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup orange juice

5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 cup fruit preserves, any flavor

Preheat oven to 350˚. Grease cookie sheets.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the oil, vanilla and orange juice. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the batter to form a stiff dough. If the dough is not stiff enough to roll out, stir in more flour. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of each one. Pinch the edges to make 3 corners.

Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven (watch out, and make sure you know your oven well), or until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheet before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

 Photos taken by Cheryl Stober!