It may come as no surprise to you that I've eaten a lot of cookies in my day. And that includes a lot of hamantaschen. Unfortunately, what I haven't eaten, are a lot of good hamantaschen. For whatever reason, bakeries tend to churn out dry, crumbly, tasteless version of the three-cornered cookies come Purim time. The reason still escapes me, especially since it is the shape – not any particular flavor or recipe – that defines the traditional treat.
So in addition to giving you a tastier base, I've jazzed this version up with some bright citrus flavors for a fun adaptation of the Purim cookie. Play with the recipe as you wish!
Lemon Lime Hamantaschen
zest of one lime
¾ cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup lemon curd (recipe below)
Mix the lime zest and sugar together, then let sit for 5 minutes.
Beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and continue beating until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Gather the dough together and wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour.
On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4" thick. If it's very sticky, you may want to knead in some extra flour.
Using a 2 1/2" round cutter – this can vary on your preference – cut out circles as close together as possible.
Place about 3/4 of a teaspoon of lemon curd in the center of each circle. Fold up two sides of the circle, and pinch together well to seal, then repeat with the remaining side, pinching both corners. Resist the urge to overfill these, as that will lead them to open during baking.
Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes, until just beginning to brown at the corners. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Curd
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You can use any recipe for lemon curd you want, even storebought. Below is a simple microwave version that serves me well.
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (2-3 lemons)
4 teaspoons lemon zest (1-2 lemons)
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
Whisk together the sugar and eggs in a microwave proof bowl until combined. Pour in the lemon juice and lemon zest and whisk until well mixed, then add in butter and continue whisking until uniform.
Microwave at 1 minute intervals, stirring at each break. When it is thick like custard , after 4 to 5 minutes, you're done. Let cool to at least room temperature before using, or make in advance and refrigerate, covered. Whisk it well before using.
