Delicious Jew-ish Pastries Filled with Poppy Seeds for the Annual Purim Celebration

Poppy Seed Delights Recipe: A Cross-Cultural Treat with a Twist

Ingredients:

For the filling:

• 2 cups water, boiling
• A generous handful of blue poppy seeds, soaked overnight
• 1/2 cup butter, unsalted, softened
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tbsp heavy cream, or more if needed
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely ground
• 1/2 cup golden raisins, plump and juicy
• 2 tsp zest from an orange, grated

For the dough:

• 1 cup butter, unsalted, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 egg, large
• 1 tsp vanilla extract, pure, or the seeds from a vanilla pod
• Zest from 1 orange, grated
• 4 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp orange juice, freshly squeezed

Preparation Steps:

Delicious Jew-ish Pastries Filled with Poppy Seeds for the Annual Purim Celebration

For the Filling:

1. Bring water to a boil and pour over the soaked blue poppy seeds to cover. Let them soak for about 12 hours before draining.
2. Taking care not to burn yourself, grind the softened poppy seeds using the finest blade of a meat grinder, a poppy seed grinder, or a coffee grinder. Be warned, the process can get a bit messy!
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and honey together until smooth. Add the heavy cream, walnuts, raisins, orange zest, and the ground poppy seeds. Mix well and chill until ready to use.

For the Dough:

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. This step is crucial to achieving a soft, tender dough.
2. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and orange zest, making sure to incorporate them well.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing with the electric mixer on low speed until the dough comes together. If the dough seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of orange juice as needed.
5. Gather the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. This chilling process helps the dough become easier to work with and ensures a flaky final product.

Assembling and Baking:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Divide the chilled dough into small portions and roll each piece into a circle slightly more than 1/4-inch thick. Don't worry if the dough is a bit sticky - it will work out fine!
3. For each circle, add a teaspoonful of the poppy seed filling in the center, being careful not to overfill the dough.
4. Fold the dough upwards on three sides to create an open triangle. Pinch the edges together to seal each Hamantaschen edge.
5. Place the Hamantaschen on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
6. Bake the Hamantaschen for about 15 to 20 minutes or until they turn a delightful, golden brown.
7. Let the Hamantaschen cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

More Insights:

• These Hamantaschen are not just a delightful treat, but also a cultural blend. The blue poppy seeds and the practice of soaking them overnight are common in central European cuisines, while the dough and the filling method are reminiscent of Middle Eastern pastries.
• Traditionally, these treats were prepared as part of the Jewish festival of Purim. However, they can be enjoyed at any time of the year!

1. When preparing the filling, add the ground blue poppy seeds to the creamed butter, honey, heavy cream, walnuts, raisins, and orange zest.
2. After chilling the dough, add a teaspoonful of the poppy seed filling to the center of each rolled dough circle.
3. For those seeking a nutritional boost, consider incorporating additional nuts like walnuts into your Hamantaschen filling for an extra crunch.

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