Fruit-Filled Hamantaschen

Fruit-Filled Hamantaschen

Dough:

1 1/4 C. (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 C. sugar

1 large egg

1/2 t. vanilla

1 T. orange juice

2 1/2 to 3 C. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

Filling:

1 C. walnuts

3/4 C. sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 unpeeled lemon, quartered and seeded

1/2 unpeeled orange, quartered and seeded

1 T. rum

2 figs, coarsely diced

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 C. orange marmalade or apricot jam

To prepare dough, cream butter with sugar until blended. Add egg, vanilla and orange juice and continue to beat until smooth. A food processor is great for this.

Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix or process until ball of dough is formed. Cover and chill 2 to 3 hours or overnight.

Meanwhile, to prepare filling, place walnuts, sugar, vanilla, lemon, orange, rum, figs, cinnamon and marmalade in food processor and pulse until chopped but not pureed. You should have about 2 cups. Set aside in refrigerator until dough is chilled.

Roll dough out on lightly floured board to 1/4 -inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch circles. Place 1 teaspoon filling in center of each circle. To shape hamantaschen, first brush water around edge of circle with finger.

Pull edges of dough up to form a triangle around filling and pinch 3 corners together, leaving small triangular opening in center. Transfer to greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 375° F 10 to 15 minutes until tops are golden.

Note: You can fill any leftover dough with chocolate chips as a filling.

Makes about 40 cookies