Creative Hamantaschen Ideas

[rockycat]

I'm working on a Southern theme this year. In addition to the traditional flavors like prune and poppy seed (not Southern but required by immutable tradition and multiple requests) I'm going to be making pecan pie and peach cobbler hamantaschen. Any other ideas that would scream "Southern"?

I've seen reference to a benne wafer hamantaschen but photos only, no recipe. And although Southern, that's an SC specialty that might draw puzzled reactions here in NC.

Thoughts, folks?

[almond tree]

French onion soup & candy cane cheesecake hamentaschen, though not Southern, certainly qualify as creative in my book.

See http://www.buzzfeed.com/marcelle/craz...

[Chocolatechipkt]

Man, these are making me hungry! I didn't make any hamentaschen this year. Might have to make some belated ones, though, just b/c. Love the ideas in this thread!

[rockycat]

So, to follow up on what I actually made:
Pecan Pie: I used the Solo pecan filling, a hefty shot of bourbon,and additional pecans. This Solo filling is my least favorite that they make but the bourbon improved it immensely. The end result was fairly tasty.

Sweet Potato Pie: I drained a can of sweet potatoes, mashed them until only slightly chunky, and added nutmeg, cloves, and allspice to taste. I don't know how much a put in. I just kept adding until it tasted right. An all-around success.

Pepper jelly and cream cheese: I made a cream cheese dough, similar to a rugelach dough, and filled it with red pepper jelly. The dough didn't work too well. The shape didn't hold after baking and the jelly ran. I think the dough needed more flour and could have stayed in the oven a bit longer. The flavor was good, though.

I didn't get around to the peach and although banana pudding/bananas foster was on my list, after 200 hamantaschen I wasn't really inclined to do any more.

And I discovered 2 things about marshamallow. I tried about 9 with chocolate peanut butter and marshmallow creme. Marshmallow creme really expands a lot in the oven and it doesn't taste all that great when it's baked, although my kid would disagree.

[cheesecake17]

The pecan pie hamantaschen sound fantastic. I didn't get a chance to bake any with dd at home. We made some in class with israeli chocolate spread as the filling.

[rockycat]

CH'ers are very, very good, but I have to bow before the brilliance of these guys.

http://www.haaretz.com/jewish-world/j...

[sbp]

Goo goo cluster

[Island]

Oh funny, my DH pulls that one out every now and then as a term of endearment. Just thought it was a random word pairing. I never knew it was a real thing and not sure he does either! Will have to investigate. Learn something new every day.

[Nancy Berry]

Yummm!! Goo Goo Clusters:

http://www.googoo.com/

[tcamp]

some intriguing ideas here. I'm curious to hear which, if any, you try. The bananas foster one is sounding really good to me.

[LaLa]

Apple utter!

[jpr54_1]

Thanx for the motivation to make hamataschen.
I live in South Eastern coast of Florida. Most ppl r from up North but there is a sizable Sephardic community

[EllieS]

Can you make it savory, by making a bbq shredded brisket and then stuffing it in puff pastry dough cut in rounds or something similar?

[Emme]

thoughts:
-banana cream pie filling
-buttermilk chess pie... still thinking on this, but def use some cornmeal in the pastry

[Dave MP]

My immediate thought was Bananas Foster.

I've actually made banana hamantaschen before, since I love bananas, but I don't think they came out as well as types made with jam. I remember the banana sort of getting dried out. So perhaps mixing the banana with rum, cinnamon and sugar would make it better.

[Emme]

take bananas... puree them. mix them with a little brown sugar. cook on medium in a microwave or over low heat until they thicken slightly. pull off heat, add a bit of rum and cook off a little. add a bit of vanilla... homemade banana rum butter. use to fill...

[Dave MP]

That sounds awesome. I think I might now be inspired to make hamantaschen this year!

[Cheese Boy]

Traditional Raspberry filling (drizzle white chocolate on top)
Traditional Apricot filling (drizzle dark chocolate on top)
Muscadine or Scuppernong filling
Sweet potato filling

[meatn3]

Fig!

If you need some fig preserves I have extra!

Perhaps a play on wet walnuts - use pecans and sorghum and make it into a thick paste.

[rockycat]

Thanks. I have made fig in the past as another friend of mine cans it. Unfortunately (for someone who otherwise loves Ocracoke) I just can't get into figs. Something about all those seeds, maybe.

[Island]

Yum lots of good ideas. Never made hamantaschen; can and of you please share your favorite and hopefully foolproof dough recipe? A friend gave me a few jars of home made jam that would be good for the filling.

[almond tree]

HAMANTASCH DOUGH (A tried & true favorite)
Cream together:
1 c butter or margarine
1 c brown sugar, packed
Mix in:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla &/or 1/4 tsp grated orange or lemon zest
Add:
3 c white or whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon &/or powdered ginger (optional)
Mix well. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Place dough on a floured surface. Flour top of dough. Roll about 1/4" thick. Cut out circles with a drinking glass or circular cookie cutter. Scraps can be re-chilled and re-rolled.
Place a small blob of filling on each dough circle. Fold up 3 sides & pinch the corners tightly.
Bake at 350 F for 10-15 min, until tops are lightly browned.

[Island]

Almond and rockycat thanks for the recipes. How 'bout way south for key lime pie filling?

[rockycat]

Lime curd hamataschen are absolutely one of my favorites. I haven't figured out how to do the topping, though. At least not in a way that can travel well.

[MidwesternerTT]

Will there be an oven at your destination, and if so could you just bring the meringue ingredients with you and top them there?

[rockycat]

No, I distribute shalach manot baskets, so the hamantaschen need to be able to be wrapped and possible knocked around some.

[almond tree]

What kind of topping are you thinking of? If you want to do a meringue, it would have to be something dryer than a typical pie topping. Maybe mix in some almond powder, as if you were making macarons. Or would powdered pecans go better with your theme?

[mucho gordo]

Is there a reason you can't use meat/potato and make it similar to a knish?

[tcamp]

Maybe a savory version with pimento cheese?

[goodhealthgourmet]

All great suggestions. I'd just add red velvet cake and derby pie.

[MidwesternerTT]

Maybe a variation on red velvet cookie for the pastry?

http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com/blog/2...

[Tara57]

Blackberry cobbler

[Diane in Bexley]

Rocky, what about peanut butter and marshmallow filling? Stick a slice of bananna on top and call them Elvis' hamantaschen.

[rockycat]

Holy cow, that's brilliant! I wonder if I could add some soy bacon to that...

[cheesecake17]

If you make those, I'm coming over!

And, I recall asking you this, but do you have a foolproof dough recipe? I want to make a batch this year, with "help" from my toddler.

[rockycat]

I knew I had posted this somewhere. It just took some time to find it.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/690188

Have fun and just make sure to re-seal the corners your kid closed before baking.

[cheesecake17]

Thanks!

Would the dough be ok in the fridge? Not sure "helper" and I will get through the whole batch of dough. Planning on finishing the hamentaschen during naptime.

[rockycat]

Definitely refrigerate. The original recipe doesn't say to, but I find the dough too soft to work with without refrigeration.

[cheesecake17]

Thanks, will let you know how it works out.

[docfood]

I love this idea of Elvis. I was also wondering about strawberry jam, ala biscuits and jam

[tcamp]

Sweet potato
Lemon meringue pie

[pinehurst]

+1 on this. Add coconut cream to this (can make it non-dairy, too).

[Emme]

was gonna suggest coconut cream as well.