Raspberry Hamantaschen

Purim is coming soon so it was the perfect excuse to make Raspberry Hamantaschen, one of my favorite cookies.  I love this shortbread cookie filled with the sweet and tart jam.  I used Sarabeth Levine's recipe for mandelbrot for the cookie and homemade raspberry jam for the filling but you can use store bought. 

Shaping the cookies in to the traditional triangles couldn't be simpler.  I cut circles out of the dough using a 3-inch cutter and filled each with one teaspoon of the jam.  Then just pinched three sides together to form the triangle shape.  Happy Purim!

Hamantaschen

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks)  unsalted butter,  at cool room temperature, cut into tablespoons

1 cup superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups unbleached all- purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup orange juice
1 cup jam or preserves

Position racks in the center and top third of the oven and preheat to 350º F.  

 

Line two half-sheet pans with parchment paper.

Beat the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer with the paddle attachment on medium high speed until the butter is smooth, about 1 minute. Add the sugar in two additions and beat, occasionally scraping down the bowl, Beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla. 

 

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture to the mixer in two additions, alternating with the orange juice. Mix just until the dough clumps together and the sides of the bowl are almost clean.

Gather up the dough and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead a few times until smooth. Lightly flour the work surface. Unwrap the dough and rap the edges on the work surface (to help avoid cracking during rolling). Place the dough on the work surface and sprinkle the top with flour.  Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles.  Place 1 teaspoon of jam in the center of each circle.  Pinch three sides of the dough together to form a triangle.  

Place on the parchment lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.  Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden brown, rotating baking pans halfway through.  Let cool completely on baking pan.