What I Baked for Purim: February 28, 2010

Hamentaschen!

These are really very tasty little cookies. Eli said he would help me, but then he noticed the open bag of chocolate chips on the table where I was rolling out the dough. He sidled over to the bag and clambered up in the chair next to it and said, "No, Mommy, I'll just sit here and watch you make the cookies."

Hamentaschen (makes 4-5 dozen)

5 c. flour (I used 4 cups white AP flour and 1 cup whole wheat), plus more for rolling out dough

2 T baking powder

1 t salt

1 c. vegetable oil

1 ½ c. sugar

3 eggs

¼ c. orange juice

1T. lemon juice

1 T. vanilla

Filling of your choice—a total of about a cup of filling for the whole batch. I'd suggest chocolate chips and the best fruit preserves you can find.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In an electric mixer, beat together oil, sugar, eggs, juices, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients at slow speed until combined, then at higher speed until the dough is pliable. The dough will be quite sticky. Wrap it in waxed paper and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into three or four pieces to make it easier to roll out. While rolling out one piece, keep the others refrigerated.

Roll out the dough about ¼ inch thick. Cut out 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter (or a drinking glass). In the center of each circle, place about 1 t. filling. Pinch the cookie into a triangle shape so that only a little of the filling shows. Place on the lined cookie sheet. Bake 15-20 minutes until light golden.