CKCA Photo Contest Winner's Recipe: Elke Probkevitz's Chocolate Hamantaschen With Dark Chocolate Ganache

Congrats to Elke Probkevitz, who won this past week's hamantaschen photo contest. Her winning photo is above. Doesn't that look incredible?

Elke wins a spot in Naomi Ross's Pesach Sweets class, which will be given on March 14, 2010, from 10am-2pm. There is still a spot or two left, if you want to learn how to make flourless chocolate cake, delectable tarts and other yummy treats; and did we mention that it's all going to be non-gebrochts and kosher for Passover??

We are happy to report that Elke has shared her recipe for her delicious chocolate hamantaschen with dark chocolate ganache filling. Unfortunately, it's not kosher for Passover, but we hope you will enjoy it anyway (and hey, we should all remember to trot this one out next Purim!!).

Chocolate Hamentashen with Dark Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients:

3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces butter substitute, softened
1 egg
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or soy creamer

Filling:
8 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
8 ounces heavy cream or soy creamer
(optional) 1 ounce dark rum
Dash salt

Cream butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix until incorporated. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add to butter mixture in two stages, alternating with the heavy cream. More or less cream might be needed depending on the consistency of the dough. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap, and form a flattened disc. Chill for at least one hour.

To prepare filling: Over a double boiler (or Pyrex bowl over small pot of simmering water), heat cream and chopped chocolate. When chocolate is mostly melted, lightly whisk until ganache-filling is smooth and shiny. Whisk in salt (and rum, if using). Chill for several hours.

To form hamantaschen: Roll chilled chocolate dough to slightly more than 1/8 inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter or glass rim dipped in flour, cut circles of about 3 inches in diameter.

Remove ganache from fridge, and using either a small ice-cream scoop or by hand, form about 1 inch round balls and place in center of circles. Carefully fold in the edges to form a triangular shape, and pinch the corners to seal. Ensure there are no gaps or tears in the dough, to prevent filling from oozing out during baking.

Bake hamantaschen on greased cookie sheets at 350 F for about 15 minutes, until crust is baked through. Ganache will liquify during baking, but will set as the hamantaschen cool.