Reprinted with permission from Holiday Kosher Baker © 2013 by Paula Shoyer, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Michael Bennett Kress
Hamantaschen are filled, triangle shaped cookies, that are traditionally eaten on the Jewish Holiday of Purim. They're definitely one of my kids favorites! Especially because, in our house, making Hamantaschen is a family affair. Once the dough is made, we all get together and everyone chooses their favorite filling. No rules here, anything goes!
This year, we went with apricot jelly & pumpkin seeds, oreo cookies, marshmallows and chocolate, chocolate and peanut butter and cinnamon raisin. I personally wanted to try goat cheese and fig jelly, but I couldn't find fig jelly anywhere! I guess it is a seasonal item... Oh well, maybe I'll make my own in the summer and save it for next year
Every year we try different recipes for Hamantaschen dough. And the one we picked this year, was definitely a winner. We used a recipe from a great baking cookbook, Holiday Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer. At the end of this post you can enter to win a copy of Holiday Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer . Oh, and you don't have to keep kosher to enjoy all the wonderful recipes displayed in this book!
Paula Shoyer was a former attorney turned pastry chef, who graduated from the Ritz Escoffier Pastry School in Paris ( the city with THE best pastries in the world, if you ask me!). Paula currently teaches French and Jewish baking classes in the Washington DC area.
Holiday Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer starts with a few pages titled "Your Kosher Baking Encyclopedia", where Shoyer gives baking tips and talks about equipment needed to successfully make the cookies, cakes, tarts, mousses and pastries featured in the book.
The recipes are organized by Jewish Holidays, which includes more than 45 Passover recipes. Each recipe is clearly labeled Dairy, Gluten Free, Low Sugar, Nut-Free, Vegan or Parve (dairy free), and they are also marked as easy, moderate or multiple step. My sister can handle the multiple step recipes no problem. Me, on the other hand, have to stick with the easy ones… There is something for every one, from the expert baker to the beginner who is just starting to "experiment"
A lot of the recipes come with beautiful, mouthwatering pictures. Several recipes also include step by step picture instruction, when a technique is a little bit more challenging.
Overall Holiday Kosher Baker is a great book and a great reference to anyone who wants to start baking or needs some fresh ideas for the Jewish Holidays. It is evident that this is not Paula Shoyer's first book. The step by step technique pictures, the innovative recipes and the way the book is organized shows the talent of Paula as a baker and as a teacher. Make sure to check out her other book!
Enjoy!
Vanilla Bean Hamantaschen
- Total Time: 14 mins
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
Description
Reprinted with permission from Holiday Kosher Baker © 2013 by Paula Shoyer, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Michael Bennett Kress
Ingredients
- 3 Large eggs
- 1 cup (200gr) sugar
- ½ cup (120ml) canola or vegetable oil
- Seeds of one vanilla bean
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375g) all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp baking powder
- dash salt
- Fiiling:
- 1 cup (320g) raspberry or other jam
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together eggs, sugar, oi,l vanilla bean seeds, and vanilla,
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until dough comes together.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for one hour to firm up
- Preheat Oven to 350F (180C).
- Line two or three large cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats, or plan to bake in batches. Divide the dough in half
- Take another two pieces of parchment and sprinkle flour on one, place the dough half on top, then sprinkle a little more flour on top of the dough.
- Place the second piece of parchment on top of the dough and roll on top of the parchment until the dough is about ¼ inch (6mm) thick.
- Every few rolls, peel back the top parchment and sprinkle a little more flour on the dough.
- Use a 2-3 inch (5-8cm) drinking glass or round cookies cutter to cut the dough into circles.
- Use a metal flat-blade spatula to lift up the circle of dough and place it on another part of the flour-sprinkled parchment paper.
- Place up one teaspoon of of jam in the center of the dough circle and then fold the three sides in towards the middle to form a triangle, leaving a small opening in the center.
- Pinch the three sides together very tightly.
- Place the triangle on the prepared cookie sheet.
- Repeat with the remaining dough and scraps, making sure to sprinkle a little flour under and over the dough before you roll.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly browned but the tops are still light.
- Slide the parchment paper onto wire racks to cool the cookies.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to three months.
- Cook Time: 14 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Jewish - Kosher
Reprinted with permission from Holiday Kosher Baker © 2013 by Paula Shoyer, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Michael Bennett Kress
Reprinted with permission from Holiday Kosher Baker © 2013 by Paula Shoyer, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Michael Bennett Kress
Reprinted with permission from Holiday Kosher Baker © 2013 by Paula Shoyer, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Michael Bennett Kress
Reprinted with permission from Holiday Kosher Baker © 2013 by Paula Shoyer, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Photography by Michael Bennett Kress
We are giving away one copy of Holiday Kosher Baker by Paula Shoyer, book can only be shipped to the US, excludes virgin islands, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Alaska. Enter bellow to win!
GIVEAWAY CLOSED
cindele
OK...I NEVER made hamantachen...it always feels like too much work and they just disappear so fast. I think the secret for me would be to change up the filling and get creative. You guys have inspired me once again. I like the look of the green ones!!
Vicky & Ruth
So happy that we inspired you. The green Hamantaschen have pistachios in the dough. Sign up for the giveaway and you can get the recipe :-).
Becky
Looks delicious!
Marie @ Not Enough Cinnamon.com
We had so much fun last Sunday making Hamantaschen at the synagogue! But mine were far from being as pretty as these 😉 I'm drooling over the raspberry ones. I wish I could enter the giveaway, this book looks great!
blima
hope i win
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com
Hamantaschen looks delectable! I don't think Ive ever tried it - i think my daughter would love making these with me!
Sina @ thekosherspoon
I love the prominence of vanilla in the dough. I don't usually make hamantaschen but this seems like a great one I can try next year. I'm sure the book has other great recipes.
Yosef - This American Bite
Your hamentashen reminded me of my tri-color bbq beef sushi!
Sarah Klinkowitz
Some of the prettiest hamantaschen I've seen!
Vicky & Ruth
Paula Shoyer's book is really full of great recipes and pictures.