Apricot Hamantaschen

Traditionally made at Purim, the feast to celebrate the salvation of the Jews by Queen Esther, hamantaschen are said to resemble the unfashionable, clownish three-pointed hat worn by the man who was trying to eradicate the exiles in Babylon.

21⁄4 cups all-purpose fl our, plus additional for dusting

1⁄2 teaspoon baking powder

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

1 cup solid vegetable shortening

1⁄2 cup sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 ounces dried California apricots

3⁄4 cup apricot jam

Boiling water

• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Beat the shortening and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and airy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth.
• Turn off the beaters, add the fl our mixture, and beat at low speed until a soft dough forms. Gather it together, divide it in half, and shape each half into a ball. Wrap the balls individually in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, place the dried apricots in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water. Set aside for 30 minutes.
• Drain the apricots, then place them in a mini food processor or a large blender with the apricot jam. Process or blend until fairly smooth, then set aside to cool to room temperature before using, about 1 hour.
• Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat; set aside.
• Lightly dust a clean, dry work surface with flour. Unwrap one of the balls of dough (keep the other in the refrigerator). Pinch off about 2 tablespoons of dough, roll it into a ball between your hands, then set it on the floured work surface. Press the ball down slightly to fatten it a little and lightly dust it with fl our.
• Roll to a 4-inch circle. Place a tablespoon of the apricot filling in the center of the circle. Imagine the rim of the circle in thirds, in three even arcs. Fold each of these thirds up over the jam, thereby creating a triangular cookie with a little, curved triangular window that exposes the jam. You can use a thin metal spatula to lift the pieces of dough up toward the center to cover the filling partially. Pinch the sides closed over the filling, then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookie to the prepared baking sheet. Continue making more cookies, spacing them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet. Refrigerate any remaining dough until you’re ready to bake another batch.
• Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
• To cool: Keep the cookies on the baking sheet a couple of minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool the baking sheet for 5 minutes before adding more cookies to it.
• To store: The hamantaschen can be kept between sheets of wax paper in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Makes 16 cookies