03/01/2026
Finishing the hat(s).
Purim tells the story of Esther, a resilient, plucky woman who dramatically impacted history through intellect and bravery. The Book of Esther is the story of a heroine who essentially risked her life in order to save the exiled Jewish people from Purim’s evil villain, Haman. Within the text is the all too timely message that the vulnerable, particularly those living in exile, can triumph without relinquishing their heritage.
Tri-cornered Purim cookies fall under various headings and spellings, most often made from tender cookie dough, in some instances swapping out butter for oil, often enriching the dough with cream cheese. Early versions of the cookie were triangular pockets (tasch) filled with ‘mohn’ or poppyseeds, called Mohntaschen, In the 18th or 19th century in Eastern Europe, Hamantaschen became a pun during Purim, combining the name Haman with the word taschen.
I’ve opted for atypical fillings this go-around turning to bright lemon curd, vanilla bean cheesecake and strawberry-pistachio. A sweet gift of cherry-apricot jam (thanks, .simon ) prompted a fresh take on a classic. A fluted tartlet pan from sweet provided the perfect fluted template, cutting out the Goldilocks of circles, not too small, not too large, just right. 💕
