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Chocolate Hamentaschen

Mishloach Manot (literally translated as the "sending of portions") is a standard Purim food tradition, and certainyl a favorite among Jewish college students! These gift baskets are filled with cakes, cookies, nuts, fruits and other treats which are then given to neighbors, friends, as well as the needy. Hamantashan, of course, in all different flavors, often are the centerpiece of these food baskets. While generally Hamantashen are filled with fruit filling, these Chocolate Hamantashen go best with a chocolate, coffee or peanut butter filling, or a fruit that has overtones that mesh with chocolate such as raspberry.

Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl. Set aside. In another large bowl, combine butter, sugar, egg and vanilla and mix with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add dry ingredients bit by bit to mixer bowl, and blend until well mixed. Chill dough for at least 1 hour. When ready to prepare hamentashen, divide the dough into quarters. Roll into 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured board. Cut out 3-inch rounds using the lip of a small glass held upside-down. Reroll scraps until dough is finished. Place filling in the center of each dough round. Fold three sides up to form a triangle, leaving some filling exposed in the center.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Place cookies approx. 2 in. apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Chocolate Brownie Hamentashen Filling

5 oz semisweet chocolate
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 tbsp. butter, margarine or ghee (Indian clarified butter)
2/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules
3/4 c. sugar or sucanat
3/4 c. chocolate, mocha or coffee chips
1/3 c. chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Put 5 oz semisweet chocolate and the unsweetened chocolate together in a micro-wave proof bowl, then melt in microwave (exact times vary from oven to oven).
2. Mix in butter, flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, vanilla, coffee and sugar.
3. Combine, mix well, then fold in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using)

Bake leftover filling and treat like Brownie Bites!

Additional No-Fuss Suggested fillings:

Reese's mini peanut butter cups or large Hershey's kisses
Several chocolate , chocolate espresso chips, mocha chips or chocolate shavings
Kosher chocolate spread or Nutella
Peanut butter topped with chocolate shavings
Raspberry Preserves

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter, margarine or ghee (Indian clarified butter)
3/4 c. sugar or sucanat
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. Dutch cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Kitchen Tools Needed

Electric Mixer
Cookie Sheet
Rolling Pin

Sucanat is basically dehydrated sugar cane with little to no processing, making it an excellent source of iron, calcium, vitamin B6, potassium and chromium, which helps balance blood sugar. Malitol is a bit more expensive, but is a little less sweet than actual sugar. What's nice about Sucanat is you can use in a 1:1 ratio wherever you'd use sugar. You can get more info about using nutritious, natural sweetener substitutes for your holiday baking here.

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