Cherry Hamantashen Food

HAMENTASHEN

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the oil, eggs, egg yolk, sugar, zest, both juices and brandy until smooth. Gradually stir in the flour mixture until a sticky dough is formed. Wrap in plastic wrap, flatten into a disk and chill overnight.
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Working with about one quarter of the dough at a time and leaving the remaining in the refrigerator, roll on lightly floured surface a little less than 1/4-inch thick. Cut circles (or other fun shapes) using cookie cutters 2 1/2 to 3 inches. Place a spoonful of filling in center (about 1 teaspoon per cookie) and then pinch one side up. Turn and pinch second and then third to make a triangular shape. Leave a little bit of the filling showing at the top. For non-traditional shapes, use your imagination: tubular, squares, bite-size or even some flat cookies depressed in the center with a bit of filling there.
• Place cookies on parchment paper on cookie sheet, brush with a little beaten egg for sheen and bake until nicely browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Keep room temp in airtight container but consume within 3 to 4 days, tops.
• Combine everything except the lemon zest and juice and the beaten egg into a saucepan and cook over moderate heat until thick, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir often. Add zest and juice. Take a bit of the filling and mix it into the beaten egg. Repeat, then mix the egg mixture into the pot of filling. Cool overnight.

HAMANTASHEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the orange juice and vanilla. Mix in the baking powder, then gradually stir in the flour until the dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. I like to do mine overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch circles using a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place circles on the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling onto the center of each circle. (Any more and it will ooze out) Pinch the sides of each circle to form a triangle, covering as much of the filling as possible. The cookies may be frozen on the cookie sheets if desired to help retain their shape while cooking.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light golden brown. These are best undercooked slightly. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

HAMENTASHEN

Steps:

• Mix everything together until you have a nice dough.
• Take piece by piece from the dough and roll it out with a rolling pin on a floured surface until you get a nice disk.
• Taking a drinking glass, use it to make a nice circle.
• Fill it up with poppy seed filling and close it in the shape of a triangle.
• Bake it in a preheated 350 F degree oven for about 30 minutes. Makes 50 to 60 cookies.

THE BEST EVER CHERRY HAMENTASHEN

Steps:

• Cream margarine in mixer bowl.
• Add sugar and beat till fluffy.
• Beat in egg, lemon peel, and vanilla.
• Add in flour and salt.
• Beat in water a few drops at a time until dough starts to come away from sides of bowl.
• Place dough in a 2-quart size bag and form into a flat disk.
• Refrigerate for a minimum of 2-3 hours and maximum of 2-3 days.
• Roll out dough flat about an 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
• Using a round cookie cutter or the top of a cup, cut out circles.
• Spoon 2 cherries and a little bit of filling onto the dough circles.
• To fold into the shape of a hamentashen (a triangle) use both thumbs and the two first fingers on each hand.
• Slide two fingers from left hand under left side and two fingers from right hand under right side and two thumbs under the bottom of circle.
• Bring all fingers (with dough) together to form a triangle and try to pinch close.
• Repeat this process with remaining circles and dough.
• Place on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper.
• Sprinkle a small amount of sugar on top of each one.
• Bake at 350°F for 12-15 minutes or just starting to turn pale golden.