Guinness and Baileys Brownie Hamentashen Recipe

Two delicious holidays fall within a month of one another every year. The Jewish holiday of Purim (see: scrumptious triangle filled cookies) and St. Patrick's Day (see: Baileys, Guinness, Irish soda bread, stew and so on...) are both ones I look forward to on the calendar. This year, as the Jewish calendar swings based on a lunar calendar, the two are just a day apart. I thought I'd take the opportunity to meld together two of my favourites with a Purim & St. Patrick's Day mash-up recipe.

Hamentashen cookies which are traditionally made and given out to friends and family on Purim have a cookie dough outer and fillings of all kinds from jams to jellies, custards and the like. This year calls for hamentashen with Baileys Irish Cream infused into the cookie dough and a chocolate and Guinness brownie centre that will leave your mouth happier than a comedian who sees an Irishman and a Jew walk into a bar together. Definitely worth messing up your kitchen counter for!

Ingredients:

Filling:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cups flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup Guinness stout

1 egg

Dough:

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Baileys Irish Cream

Prepare the filling: Using a stand mixer cream together the butter and both sugars. In another bowl, mix together the baking powder, cinnamon, salt, flour and cocoa. Whisk the egg and at the last moment add the Guinness to the eggs (don’t let it sit too long or the alcohol will begin to cook the eggs!)

Add half of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and blend, then add half of the wet ingredients. Repeat this process until all the ingredients are combined.

Cover the filling with plastic wrap and chill in fridge while making dough (as long as overnight)

Prepare the dough: Using a stand mixer cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

Whisk together the vanilla, egg and egg yolk and using the mixer add to the creamed sugar.

In a large bowl combine the dry dough ingredients. With the mixer on a low setting alternate adding in half of the dry ingredients with half of the Baileys until combined.

Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate a few hours or as long as overnight.

Prepare the hamentashen: Roll dough between 1/8 - 1/4 inch thick and cut into circles with a cookie cutter or glass that is at least 3 inches wide. Place a teaspoon of filling into the center of each circle. Do not overfill!

Fold hamentashen into triangles. A small triangle of filling should still be visible in the center.

Place the hamentashen on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees until they get a little blonde on the edges (Start checking them after 10 minutes)

Makes 24 large hamentashen

For another favourite St. Patrick's Day recipe of mine try these magically delicious Guinness Cupcakes!