JPost Purim recipe contest: Mother knows best

Winner of JPost hamentaschen recipe hunt Elizabeth Book shares the secrets behind her mother's famous Purim cookies.

By ZOHAR FRIEDMAN
Ruth Book's Purim hamentaschen (photo credit: Zohar Friedman)
Ruth Book's Purim hamentaschen
(photo credit: Zohar Friedman)
In honor of Purim, The Jerusalem Post asked members of our Facebook and Twitter communities to submit their favorite family hamentaschen recipes. JPost Lifestyle editor Yoni Cohen selected the winning recipe, which was in turn created by the Post's social media manager, Zohar Friedman. To complete the story, the cookies were then shared with a more than delighted office.
The winning recipe was submitted by Elizabeth Book Kratz, on behalf of her mother Ruth Book, who is famous for her hamentaschen recipe. The recipe is a Book family favorite, and has been adapted and used by Ruth’s five daughters and daughters in law. “Not only are the hamentaschen incredible,” Elizabeth says, “but the recipe is impossible to mess up.”
Ruth and Stephen Book, surrounded by their five children and their spouses
Ruth and Stephen Book, surrounded by their five children and their spouses
Elizabeth encourages tweaking the recipe to match your hamentaschen preferences: Want a tarter, lemon-flavored cookie? Try adding a little lemon zest and swap some of the liquid for lemon juice. Like a spicy kick? Add a teaspoon or two of cinnamon and fill the hamentaschen with a complementary fruit filling such as apricot.
We decided to go the lemon route, and made lemon-raspberry hamentaschen.
Ingredients:
4 cups sifted all-purpose flour3 teaspoons baking powder1 teaspoon salt1 cup unsalted margarine1 1/2 cups sugar2 eggs4 teaspoons milk, rice milk or water2 teaspoons vanilla1 cup of your favorite filling
Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 190°C (375°F).
2. Cream together margarine and sugar, then add the eggs and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture with the mixer on low, alternating with water or rice milk.
5. Chill the dough for 1 hour to overnight (this step can be skippedif you're in a rush, cold dough is just easier to handle). Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness, and using a water glass or round cookie cutter, cut into 2-inch rounds.
6. Fill each round with 1 heaping teaspoon of your favorite filling, and draw up sides for triangle.
7. Seal edges with cold water.
8. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 12-14 minutes.
9. To keep hamantaschen soft, store in airtight containers.