Hamantashen

These cookies are basically circles short pastry filled with all sorts of fillings (usually poppy seed filling, chocolate, or dates), which are folded to triangle shape and baked until crisp.

One of the most complicated things about these cookies is getting the cookies to remain at their original shape while baking. If you chill the filled and shaped cookies before you bake them, they generally tend to lose their shape, the solution is to chill the shaped and filled cookies before baking (preferably overnight).

INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
200 gr. cold butter, cut into small cubes
zest from one orange (or lemon)
2 egg yolks
2-4 tablespoons fresh orange juice (or milk)

fillings: Nutella, poppy seed, nuts, jam

PROCEDURE
In a food processor combine the flour, baking powder and sugar. Add butter and orange zest, and pulse until the the butter incorporates with the flour, add the yolks and pulse until the mixture looks crumbly. Add 2 tablespoon of the juice, and combine until combined (if needed, add the rest of the juice) .

Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Preheat oven to 160-170 degrees C.

To form the hamantashen, roll out the dough on a well-floured surface until it is about 3-4 mm thick. Using a round cookie cutter (about 6 cm diameter), cut the dough into circles, brush the edges of the circles with a little bit of water. Spoon a teaspoon of the filling in the center. Fold the dough in from three sides and firmly crimp the corners and give them a little twist to ensure they stay closed. Leave the filling mostly open in the center. Put on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Cool on rack, powder with powdered sugar.

Thanks to http://bakingforthecure.wordpress.com.