Vegan Hamentaschen

It’s Purim this week, which means that the kitchens of many Jewish homes are busy with Hamentaschen baking! We have two versions to share with you: Traditional and Vegan. Enjoy!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 2 dozen

Ingredients – Dough

• 2½ cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 egg’s worth of egg replacement, mixed up and ready to go
• ¼ cup brandy or orange juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest (from one orange)
• pinch of salt
• 7 ounces (14 tablespoon) cold margarine, cut into chunks

Poppy Seed Filling – Pereg

• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon silan/date syrup
• 1 cup poppy seeds, ground (measure first, then grind in several batches in a clean coffee grinder until powdery)
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from one lemon)
• ¼ cup raisins

Instructions

1. Combine all dough ingredients in a food processor outfitted with a blade. Pulse to combine, then process until completely combined and homogeneous, until the dough forms a ball.
2. Transfer to a plastic bag, or wrap in plastic wrap, and place in the fridge for at least half an hour, up to several days. For longer storage, freeze (completely sealed and wrapped) for up to two months. Defrost in the fridge.

Poppy Seed Filling – Pereg

1. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine sugar, water, and date syrup. Cook until sugar is completely dissolved and liquid is simmering
2. Add ground poppy seed and cook a minute longer, stirring. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in lemon juice, zest, and raisins.
4. Transfer to a wide mouth container (you’ll be scooping the filling directly from the container), and chill in the fridge for at least half an hour, up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the filling, up to two months. Defrost in the fridge.

Assembly

1. Remove a quarter of the dough from the fridge at a time. Roll out on a floured surface until ⅛ inch thick.
2. Cut out circles using a circular cookie cutter or wine glass, 2½ inches in diameter.
3. Transfer rounds to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
4. Re-roll dough scraps and cut more circles.
5. Brush tops of rounds with water using a pastry brush, about 12 at a time.
6. Using two spoons, drop a small amount of filling on the center of each round. DO NOT OVERFILL.
7. Shape cookies by pinching dough together, making one corner of the triangle at a time. Pinch and press the seams together well, or else they will open, making very tasty but very flat cookies. If the dough doesn’t stick together well, brush more water around the edge of the round.
8. Fill parchment paper-lined tray with cookies. They don’t grow, so you don’t have to leave much room at all, approx 20 cookies/half sheet tray. Transfer the tray to the fridge until the cookies are firm and cool. You can freeze the cookies at this point – freezing them flat on the tray, then transferring them to a container or sealed bag.

Baking

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes, until just barely golden, rotating the trays after five minutes.
3. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Devour them!

From nosherium.com