Description
This traditional Purim cookie recipe is a delightful triangle of flaky pastry and a sweet filing of poppy seeds and dates.
Ingredients
For the dough:
1 cup powdered sugar, more for rolling out the dough
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
8 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into tiny pieces
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
Dash of salt
1 large egg, beaten for the glaze
For the poppy seed filling:
1 cup whole milk
½ cup sugar
Finely grated zest of ½ orange
1 cup poppy seeds
½ cup pitted, chopped dates
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tablespoon brandy
½ tablespoon orange liqueur
½ tablespoon butter
½ tablespoons vanilla
Instructions
Start by making the dough.
In the bowl of a food processor, add the powdered sugar and egg yolks. Pulse to blend slightly.
Add the butter and lemon zest and pulse to mix completely.
Spoon in the flour, a quarter of it at a time, and pulse. Sprinkle in the salt with the last bit of flour and pulse the mixture until a dough forms and it pulls away from the sides and forms a ball.
If the dough seems to moist to form a ball, add additional flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, and process after each addition until it forms a ball.
Form the dough into two equal-sized balls. Flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm – at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
While the dough chills, make the filling.
In a large saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the milk, sugar, and orange zest.
Using a coffee or spice grinder, or blender, grind the poppy seeds to a fine powder. Don’t process into a paste.
When the milk begins to steam, but not boil, reduce the heat to low.
Spoon in the poppyseed powder and dates. Simmer, stirring often, until the seeds begin to absorb the milk and thickens, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the lemon juice, brandy, orange liqueur, and butter. Cook, stirring constantly, for two additional minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Prep Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Jewish
Keywords: Purim cookie recipe, holiday cookies, filled cookies, poppy seed filled cookies, Jewish food, Jewish cookie recipes