Chocolate Hamentashen Filling Recipes

CHOCOLATE HAMANTASCHEN

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in orange zest and vanilla, then add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down bowl as necessary.
• Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until combined. Add finely chopped chocolate and beat until just combined. Form dough into three 1-inch-thick disks, wrap tightly in plastic, and chill until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 3 days.
• On a floured work surface, roll out dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness. With a 2 3/4-inch round cutter, cut out circles; place on parchment-lined baking sheets. Gather scraps, chill, and repeat.
• Whisk together remaining egg and 1 teaspoon water in a bowl. Brush circle edges with egg wash. Place 1 rounded teaspoon coarsely chopped chocolate in center of each circle. Lift sides of dough toward center, over filling, to form a triangle; pinch seams together. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center.
• Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE HAMENTASHEN FILLING

Steps:

• In a microwave proof bowl melt the 5 oz semisweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate together.
• Mix in all the margarine, flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla, coffee and sugar.
• Mix to combine and then fold in the chocolate chips and nuts.
• The extra filling (if any) may be made into chocolate brownie drop cookies.
• Makes enough filling for at least 3 dozen hamentashen.

HAMANTASHEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the orange juice and vanilla. Mix in the baking powder, then gradually stir in the flour until the dough forms a ball. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. I like to do mine overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch circles using a cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place circles on the prepared cookie sheets. Spoon 1 teaspoon of filling onto the center of each circle. (Any more and it will ooze out) Pinch the sides of each circle to form a triangle, covering as much of the filling as possible. The cookies may be frozen on the cookie sheets if desired to help retain their shape while cooking.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until light golden brown. These are best undercooked slightly. Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

CHOCOLATE CHIP HAMANTASCHEN

Steps:

• Put the confectioners' sugar and the egg yolks in a food processor and blend. Add butter and lemon zest and process to blend. Gradually add the flour and the salt, pulsing until it forms a ball. Divide the dough in half, flatten each into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
• Meanwhile, prepare the filling: In a bowl, beat the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and cocoa powder until smooth.
• Pour the milk into a small saucepan with the vanilla bean. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and remove the vanilla bean. Scrape the inside of the bean and add to the pan.
• While whisking vigorously, pour 1/3 of the milk into the yolk mixture, then pour back into the saucepan. Continue to whisk constantly while simmering over low heat until the mixture bubbles and thickens into a creamy pudding consistency.
• Remove from heat, add the bittersweet chocolate and whisk until the chocolate has melted and the cream is smooth. Pour into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap, placed directly on the cream. Refrigerate until cool, at least 30 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 pastry sheets with parchment paper.
• Unwrap one of the chilled dough disks and place on a piece of parchment paper that has been dusted lightly with flour. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Cover with a second piece of parchment paper. Let stand at room temperature until malleable, about 5 minutes. Use a rolling pin to press and roll out the dough into a 1/4-inch- thick round between the sheets of parchment, flipping the dough occasionally. Use a plain biscuit or cookie cutter or glass to cut 3-inch circles, placing the circles on the prepared baking sheet spaced 1 inch apart. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator to chill until firm while you repeat the rolling/cutting process with the second round of dough.
• Remove the first pan of dough rounds from the refrigerator. Place a heaping teaspoon of the filling in the center of each, and press up the sides to form triangles, pinching the ends closed. Top the filled cookies with a few extra chocolate chips. If the dough is too firm, let stand a minute or two to soften; returning the baking sheet to the refrigerator if the dough becomes too soft. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds.
• Brush the tops with beaten egg. Bake until golden and dough is delicately firm all the way through, about 13-18 minutes, rotating the racks front to back and top to bottom after about 10 minutes.
• Place trays on wire racks for 10 minutes before transferring cookies on parchment to racks to cool completely.