Here is the recipe for the Triple Chocolate Hamantaschen, see here, and 14 Purim Basket ideas!
Happy Purim—Chag Sameach—to all who are celebrating!
Chocolate Hamantaschen with Raspberry Filling
Hamantaschen, the traditional triangular-shaped cookies, symbolizing the hat said to be worn by Haman, the villain of the Purim story. Purim is a Jewish holiday taking place in Persia in the 5th century BCE, recounted in the Book of Esther. Esther, our heroine, confronts the antisemitic villain and saves the Jewish people from destruction.
Hamantaschen, meaning Haman’s Pocket in Yiddish, are made with a cookie dough and filled with fruit, poppy or chocolate filling. They are usually sent along with a Purim basket to family and friends. Baskets can include fruit, candy and something made from grapes or wine. I’ve included some past baskets, or Misloach Manot in Hebrew, that are fun to put together. Happy Purim!
Foodie Lit
I love the details of life, especially from another era or from another culture. Amy Maroney handles these complexities remarkably well in her dual timeline novel. The Girl from Otto is an artful combination of genres. How did Amy accomplish this? “History, mystery, thrillers, and romance are my favorite genres, and I was writing the book I’d always wanted to read. I’ve always enjoyed romance as a component of other genres rather than as the main story. That’s what I set out to do,” Amy told me. She continued by talking about one of the goals of this novel and the others in this same series. “I really wanted to tell the world about the great women artists who did exist in early modern Europe. Ultimately, I want to illuminate some of these lost voices and stories with my fiction.” She has been able to accomplish this goal masterfully, absorbing me to the very last word! (and making me want to continue to the other books in her series!)
Chocolate Hamantaschen with Raspberry Filling
#cookies #Purim #chocolate #dairy
Yield: 3 dozen
Chocolate dough:
Wet ingredients
½ cup butter/non-dairy margarine
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
1/8 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Filling
Raspberry Jam or favorite flavor
Dough
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Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add egg, milk and vanilla until mixed thoroughly. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Add dry mixture to wet mixture until incorporated.
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If the dough is too soft, increase flour amount by 1/4 cup of flour until firm.
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Chill dough for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours.
To make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
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Dust your work surface or parchment paper with flour to keep the dough from sticking. Roll the dough to about ¼ inch thick.
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Using a 3” round cookie cutter, cut out and place each cookie onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. To keep the dough from sticking to your cutter, dip in flour before each cut, if needed. Roll out scraps and repeat.
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Fill cookies with 1/2 teaspoon jam or your favorite filling.
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Shaping: Fold sides towards the inside of the circle. Pinch each corner gently to help the cookie keep its shape.
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Bake for 10-12 minutes. Allow cookies to cool completely. Freezes well.
Expandthetable suggestions
Lessen the sugar: Use a sugar substitute in the dough and sugar free jam.
Dairy free: Use non-dairy margarine in place of butter and non-dairy milk.
Adapted from the Nosher.
