The most important thing with hamantaschen is ensuring you have the time to enjoy making them:
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 filling, leave time for it to cool properly
The recipe below freezes really well and can be reheated in a low oven.
Makes 18
Ingredients
150ml lukewarm milk (or soya milk)
2 tsp dried yeast
350g organic strong white bread flour
2 tsp vanilla sugar
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
Pinch of salt
50g butter or margarine
50g soft light brown sugar
2 organic free-range eggs
For the filling:
180g good-quality black cherry jam (or apricot or strawberry)
1 tbsp lemon juice
150g ground almonds
Few drops of almond extract
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.
