Lemon Meringue Hamantaschen

Purim is almost here, and it is one of my favorite holidays! This year I have really been into reinventing the classics and making mashups. I love lemon meringue pies and the citrus in these lemon-y taschens is bright and refreshing, reminding me that spring is around the corner. 

What you will need: 

Dough 

Recipe here 

Lemon Curd 

3 whole eggs 

3 egg yolks 

1 cup granulated sugar 

¾ cup fresh lemon juice 

1 tbsp lemon zest 

8 tbsp butter or margarine cut into pieces 

Swiss Meringue 

5 egg whites 

1 ¼ cup granulated sugar 

⅛ tsp cream of tartar 

pinch of salt 

½ tsp vanilla 

Directions 

Lemon Curd: 

Heat one inch of water in the bottom of a pot (make sure pot is small enough that glass bowl sits above the water and does not touch). 

Place the curd ingredients (except the butter/margarine) in a glass bowl and whisk together until well combined. Place the bowl over the simmering water and cook, whisking for about 8-10 minutes, until mixture has thickened and is a light yellow color. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. 

Add the butter/margarine to the mixture, one piece at a time, and continue to stir until it is all incorporated. 

Strain the curd by pouring it through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl. The curd will continue to thicken as it cools. 

Cover with plastic wrap, with the plastic touching the surface of the curd to avoid the formation of a skin. Place it in the refrigerator until ready to use. The curd can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 weeks. 

Dough: 

Follow directions here 

Fill each hamantaschen with about 1 tsp lemon curd. Pinch closed to a triangle and bake about 20 minutes. 

Swiss Meringue: 

Combine egg whites, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer over a pot of simmering water. 

Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is 170° (or until warm, sugar has fully dissolved, and becoming frothy and white.) 

Attach the bowl to the mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. 

Add vanilla and continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool, about 10 minutes. 

Fill a ziploc bag (or piping bag if you have one, or just spoon dollops of meringue) and snip the corner to pipe onto the baked hamantaschen.

Return the hamentashen to the oven set to 400° for 2-3 minutes, keeping a close eye so that the meringue doesn’t burn. If you have a kitchen torch you can do that instead. 

Enjoy!

Hamantaschen Cookies

Today I have a delicious recipe for Hamantaschen that can be filled with whatever filling you desire! {Just think a cookie version of a burrito or taco}
Hamantaschen are a pocket filled cookie and are recognizable for their 3 cornered triangular shape. They are the traditional food eating during the Jewish holiday of Purim. They are usually filled with poppy seeds, prunes, apricot, apple, or any variety of fruit preserved.  I have even filled them with chocolate or marshmallows.
Why are they called Hamantaschen? The word itself is Yiddish for "Hamans pockets." Haman is the villain in the Purim story. We eat Hamantashen till today on Purim as part of the celebration of the holiday, which commemorates how the Jews escaped Haman's plans to massacre the entire Jewish population.
Why are the cookies triangularly shaped? Haman wore a 3 cornered hat.

What you will need:
4 eggs
½ cup oil (or 1 cup margarine)
2 tsps. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. orange juice
¾ cup sugar
4 cups flour
2 tsps. baking powder
Filling:
Strawberry preserves

Preheat the oven to 350°.
Lay parchment paper down on cookie sheets.
Place all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat together. You may need to add a drop more juice or flour, depending on the consistency of the dough.

Roll dough into a ball and then divide into 4 equal parts. Each ball will make 1 dozen Hamantaschen.
Divide the large ball into 12 equally sized small balls.
On a floured surface, flatten one of the balls into a flat 3” diameter circle.

Place ½ to 2/3 teaspoon of your desired filling in the middle of each circle.

To shape into a triangle, lift up right and left sides, leaving the bottom down, and bring both sides to meet at the center above the filling.

Bring the top flap down to the center to meet the 2 sides. Pinch edges together.

Place each Hamantaschen on the cookie sheets 1 inch apart and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!