GREAT-GRANDMOTHER BUBBIE'S HAMANTASCHEN

Great-Grandmother Bubbie's Hamantaschen image

Brought over from Poland by my great-grandmother, these little fruit-filled cookies are traditional for the Jewish holiday Purim where they are put in gift baskets and given to all one's friends. We always make extra so there are some left over for us, they are the best! (The filling can be anything, for a shortcut, you can substitute any flavor of jam, but this is the original filling.)

Provided by Aliza Finley

Categories Desserts Cookies Fruit Cookie Recipes Apricot

Time 2h50m

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 12

Ingredients

2 cups pitted prunes, cooked, drained and mashed
2 cups dried apricots, cooked drained and mashed
3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
½ cup safflower oil
1 lemon, zested
1 orange, zested
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup chopped walnuts
⅓ cup white sugar, or to taste

Steps:

Place prunes and apricots into a large pot filled with water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Cook the fruit uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender, about 15 minutes. Drain fruit in a colander and mash together in a bowl using a fork. Set aside.
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Whisk eggs, 1 cup sugar, oil, lemon zest, and orange zest together in a bowl and set aside. Sift flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. Stir in the egg mixture, kneading with hands until the dough comes together. Roll out dough to about 1/4 inch in thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut circles out using a cookie cutter or the rim of a drinking glass.
Mix prune and apricot mixture, lemon juice, walnuts, and 1/3 cup sugar in a bowl. Place a tablespoon of the filling in the center of the cookie. Pinch the edges firmly together to create a triangle, leaving the center open to expose the filling. Repeat with the remaining cookies.
Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 163 calories, Carbohydrate 28.9 g, Cholesterol 15.5 mg, Fat 4.7 g, Fiber 1.7 g, Protein 2.7 g, SaturatedFat 0.4 g, Sodium 34.4 mg, Sugar 15.4 g