The most important thing with hamantaschen is ensuring you have the time to enjoy making them and follow these three tips:
- Ideally make the dough and fillings in advance and then assembly is easy.
- For the best flavour, make the dough the day before and leave it to rise overnight in the fridge.
- If making proper mohn (poppyseed) filling, leave time for it to cool properly.
The recipe below freezes really well and can be reheated in a low oven.
Method
- In a small bowl, whisk the warm milk with the yeast, 2 tablespoons of flour, the vanilla sugar and the zest.
- Set aside to ferment in a warm place until bubbles appear on the surface.
- Sift the remaining flour and salt into a large bowl and rub in the butter or margarine with your fingers (or use a mixer). Stir in the brown sugar.
- Add one of the eggs to the bubbling yeast mixture and beat well with a fork.
- Pour the yeast mixture into the flour mixture and combine to a soft, pliable dough.
- Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead until smooth.
- Place the dough in a clean, oiled bowl, cover and set aside to rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 200°C and line two baking sheets with baking parchment.
- To prepare the filling, scoop the jam into a bowl and mix with the lemon juice, ground almonds and almond extract.
- To make the hamantaschen, shape the dough into balls roughly the size of a golf ball and roll out to flat circles, 12cm in diameter. Place a teaspoon of the filling in the centre of each circle.
- Bring up the sides to form a triangle and pinch together at the three corners. Arrange on the baking sheets, cover with a tea towel, and leave to prove in a warm place for 20–30 minutes until puffed up.
- Beat the remaining egg and brush over the hamantaschen.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden. Serve hot or cold.
