The Fresh Loaf

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Yeast-raised hamentashen recipe?

Weizenbrot's picture
Weizenbrot

Yeast-raised hamentashen recipe?

Happy Purim to all who celebrate the holiday (this Saturday). Hamentashen are the traditional triangular filled pastries eaten on this minor Jewish holiday. Fillings were traditionally prune or poppy seed when I was growing up but now can be anything sweet.

In recent years all I've seen are cookie-dough hamentashen. As a kid in the '50's-'60's I remember yeast-raised hamentashen that my parents bought from a bakery. The dough was folded into a triangle with the filling entirely inside.

I've attempted several times in past years to use a challah-type dough containing egg, butter, and sugar. My problem has always been that the proofing and oven spring causes the pastries to open up and I'm left with a mess.

I've thought about putting them in the oven immediately after filling but I'm not sure how that would work out.

Does anyone have a recipe or techniques to share?

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

are the ones from my childhood. There was only one type available but they remain my firm favourite and are the tastiest.

The dough is more bread-like, as supposed to the cookie type you can get nowadays, and it was filled with poppy seeds and raisins.

If you can get a recipe I'd be most interested!

FloridaShark's picture
FloridaShark

Although I'm not Jewish I remember my dad, who was an excellent baker, make Hamentashen the cookie style many times. Here is a yeast raised version I found.

http://www.jewishmag.com/121mag/hamantaschen/hamantaschen.htm

Weizenbrot's picture
Weizenbrot

Thank you

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

recipe and one of the authors Stan Ginsberg, (along with Norm Berg who has passed), is a Fresh Lofian of some note and also the author of the recently released The Rye Baker.   If you don't have ITHB you can find it at most library's.  I haven't made it but many Fresh Lofians have as testers for the book and they loved it.

I have a pretty easy instant yeast one that I use.

3 C flour

1 C rehydrated Milk made from NFDMP or scald a cup of Non Fat Milk

1/2 tsp of instant yeast

1/8 C of butter - softened

3/8 C of sugar

1/4 tsp of salt

1 1/2 eggs

Zest of half a lemon and half an orange

You will have to adjust the liquid to get the dough right since it is a volume measurement recipe.  I usually have to add a bit of flour to keep it from being too sticky since I mix this by hand - but don't do too much since the dough will stiffen up in the fridge and too much flour isn't good for these cookies.

You can double this recipe and it will still fit ion a KA mixer.

After mixing well adding the butter last let rest until it rises 25% then form into a ball and place in an oiled bowl for a 24 hour retard in the fridge.  It should double .

Roll out 1/8 " thick, fill. form and bake at 400 F until done.

I have a batch going right now.  Think I will fill them with fig jam

Happy Purim 

Weizenbrot's picture
Weizenbrot

Thanks, dabrownman. Do you proof the filled HT's before baking or bake immediately upon filling?

Fig jam sounds delicious!

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

half hour of proofing before the fridge and then a half hour of cold and then the oven.  I will post some picture of before and after retard and when they go in the oven.  The key is don't put so much filling 1 1/2 tsp max in there and then retard them for a half an hour before baking.  That is the trick.

Good Luck

Lechem's picture
Lechem (not verified)

Some of your hamentashen Dabrownman. Perhaps for this weekends bake? 

P.s. I'm on the bottle (a lovely oak aged vintage apple cider) and didn't see your "I've got a batch going right now". Can't wait to see them. 

dabrownman's picture
dabrownman

year.  Blackberry, strawberry and blueberry with a pinch of fresh ginger and another one with banana in the mix.  Those are for the girls, maybe some chocolate ones for them too.  I'm into the figs.  My daughter got me some fig jam not long ago and, if it taste OK, I might use that or I will make my own version.  The dough is in the fridge for 24 hours.  I might bake some tomorrow and some on Thursday.  They disappear fast and I want some for Saturday to take to Cousin Jay.

I'm into a and ancient vine, not old vine, Zinfandel myself - you are at least 8 hours ahead of me but my bottle is bigger:-)

gerhard's picture
gerhard

  

My problem has always been that the proofing and oven spring causes the pastries to open up and I'm left with a mess.

Could it be that you are too generous with the filling?  I know when making turnovers that is what usually causes problems.

Just a guess

Gerhard

Weizenbrot's picture
Weizenbrot

Thanks, Gerhard.