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Q. What is the best kind of dough to use for hamantaschen?
Like a good Jewish question, yours can be answered with a question.
What kind of texture of hamantashen do you prefer? Depending on your preference, the best kind of dough to use will either be a yeast dough or cookie dough. Both yield very different results.
Originally, hamantashen were made from yeast dough. Today, cookie dough hamantashen are popular because they are easier and faster to make. There is much debate as to which style is better. Here is what you need to know before deciding what route to take this Purim.
Similar to a Danish, hamantashen made from yeast dough are soft as a cushion. While they do take longer to make - you’ll have to proof the yeast, knead the dough and let it rise - most veteran bakers swear by this version.
hamantashen made from cookie dough, on the other hand, yield soft, shortbread like renditions but without the sponginess and depth of flavor yeast adds. Any recipe for rolled sugar cookie dough will make delicious hamantashen; just add two teaspoons of finely-grated orange peel to evoke the citrus undertone traditional to this Purim sweet. Make sure to refrigerate the dough before assembling the hamantashen(cookie dough is the better choice for those baking with kids).
Since Purim is only a 24 hour celebration, I like to bake hamantashenwell before the holiday to get into the spirit. This gives me plenty of time to enjoy both yeast and cookie-style hamantashen. Here are my two favorite recipes… you be the judge.
Click here to make Yeast Dough hamantashen
Click here to make Cookie Dough hamantashen
Become part of this interactive culinary dialogue. Felisa Billet welcomes your cooking questions at editor@kosher.com.
