Here is our favorite Hamantashen Recipe (Dairy)

Makes about 24:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp milk

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

2 cups all purpose flour

Powder sugar for dusting (optional)

For apricot filling:

1 cup dried apricots

1 cinnamon stick

3 tbsp sugar

For poppy seed filling:

1 cup poppy seeds, coarsely ground

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped

3-4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp golden corn syrup

1-2 tsp grated lemon rind

1 tsp vanilla extract

(1) Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Mix together the milk, egg, vanilla and salt in another bowl. Sift the flour in a third bowl.

(2) Beat the butter mixture with 1/3 of the flour. Gradually add the remaining flour, alternating with the milk mixture. If the dough is too stiff, add a little extra milk. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

(3) To make the apricot filling, put the apricots, cinnamon and sugar in a pan and add enough water to cover. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the apricots are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the cinnamon stick then puree the fruit in a food processor or blender with a little of the cooking liquid to the consistency of thick jam.

(4) To make the poppy seed filling, put all the ingredients, except the vanilla, in a pan and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the mixture has been absorbed. Stir in the vanilla.

(5) Preheat the oven to 350 F. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Stamp out 3" rounds with a plain cutter.

(6) Place 1-2 tbsp of filling in the center of each round, then pinch the pastry together to form three corners, leaving a little of the filling showing in the middle.

(7) Place the pastries on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until pale golden. Serve the pastries warm or cold, dusted with icing sugar, if you like.