Hadassah Sagalovitch of Chicago sent us her recipe for this traditional Purim cookie/pastry. Purim is a festive Jewish holiday; however, these cookies are so good you’ll want to make them year-round.
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FRUIT-FILLED HAMANTASCHEN
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Chilling time: 2-3 hours
Yield: about 3 dozen
Dough:
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash salt
Filling:
3/4 cup pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup water
1/4 apple, chopped
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Confectioners’ sugar
1. Combine butter and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer. Beat on medium speed until light, 2 to 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Slowly add to butter mixture, beating well after each addition, until incorporated. Wrap dough in wax paper and chill 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
2. To make filling, heat prunes, cherries and water to a simmer over medium heat in small saucepan. Simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in apple, lemon zest and juice. Set aside.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Divide dough into fourths. Roll each piece out on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut 2 1/2-inch circles out of dough using cookie cutter. Wet edge of each circle with water. Drop 1 scant teaspoon filling in center of each circle. Raise three edges of circle; pinch together in center forming a triangle.
4. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to cooling rack; cool completely. Sprinkle each cooled cookie with confectioners’ sugar.
Nutrition information per cookie:
Calories ……. 95 Fat …………. 4 g Cholesterol .. 15 mg
Sodium …… 55 mg Carbohydrates .. 15 g Protein …….. 1 g
