Hamentashen Dough

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter or margarine, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon fresh squeezed orange juice

Grated zest of orange

1 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Water for brushing onto pastry

1 egg yolk lightly beaten with teaspoon water for egg wash

Directions:

Combine butter or margarine and powdered sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Mix until light and fluffy. Add egg, extract, orange juice, and orange zest and continue mixing until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.

In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. With mixer on, gradually add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix until dough comes together. Remove dough from bowl and divide into two pieces. Flatten each piece and wrap it in plastic wrap or place in an airtight bag. Refrigerate dough for at least one hour and up to two days.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

Unwrap one piece of dough and place it onto a lightly floured counter. Roll dough into a circle 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch cookie-cutter, cut out dough and place circles onto prepared pan.

Place filling into center of each circle.

*Using a pastry brush or your finger, moisten the edges of the circle with water. Pinch together two ends of the circle and then bring up the remaining edge of dough and pinch together the corners to form a triangle. The center of the triangle should remain exposed.

**Brush each triangle with egg wash and bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Remove hamentashen from baking pan and place on a cooling rack.

Makes 18-20 cookies.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Filling

Ingredients:

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup blueberry or strawberry jam plus more for topping

3 tablespoons milk or non-dairy creamer

Directions:

In a small bowl, stir together peanut butter and cup jam. Add milk or creamer and stir until mixture is thoroughly combined. Use 1 tablespoons of filling for each circle of dough and follow dough directions above for moistening, folding, and glazing.* Bake for 10 minutes, remove pan from oven and top the center of each pastry with a dollop of jam. Replace pan in oven and bake an additional 2 minutes.

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Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients:

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons honey

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

Pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grated zest of half of a medium orange

Directions:

Beat cream cheese, honey, and granulated sugar together in the bowl of a mixer. Add remaining ingredients and mix well to combine.

Place 1 scant tablespoon cheesecake filling in the center of each circle of dough. Follow dough directions above for moistening, folding, glazing, and baking.* **

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Dried Fig Filling

1 cup packed soft dried Mission figs (8 oz), hard tips discarded

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, warmed

3/4 cup mild honey

2 teaspoons grated fr esh orange zest

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Ingredients:

Cut figs in half and place in a bowl with warm orange juice. Allow mixture to stand for 5 minutes. Place fig mixture and remaining ingredients in bowl of a food processor. Mix until a paste forms.

Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling in center of each circle of dough. Follow dough directions above for moistening, folding, glazing, and baking.* **

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Filling

Ingredients:

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

Directions:

Melt chocolate in a small pan set over a larger pan of simmering water. When chocolate is melted, remove pan from heat and stir in peanut butter.

Place 1 tablespoons of filling in center of each circle of dough. Follow dough directions above for moistening, folding, glazing, and baking.* **