Hamantaschen Baking: Doreen Greenblat’s Passion
by Eric Bressler
Doreen Greenblat has been baking hamantaschen at synagogues for over 60 years! When she and her husband Marvin (z’’l) were members at B’nai Emet in St. Louis Park and she was in her 20’s, she was active in the kitchen in various ways. Together with friends Fay Leder and Gracie Goldman (who were in their 70’s), they started a program to make and sell hamantaschen. They used Gracie Goldman’s recipe.
When Marv suggested that they switch synagogues to Bet Shalom, naturally Doreen got involved in the kitchen in the original building in Hopkins. She brought up to Rabbi Cohen the idea of making hamantaschen as a fundraiser, and of course it was a good idea.
Doreen enlisted Christy Bateman, who was volunteering in the office at Bet Shalom, to collaborate by calling and coordinating the kitchen volunteers to make the tasty treats and to do the product sales. Doreen worked at making the hamantaschen and showing the volunteers how to do it correctly. Many of them were her friends who were baking sweets for Oneg Shabbat, and some volunteered to bake hamantaschen as well. They started by selling at the Purim carnival, and later people began ordering them in advance.
As the program grew, many more volunteers were recruited. Eventually the group was also making knishes to sell (at a higher profit margin, according to Doreen). But what really made Doreen happiest was seeing the many young people, some couples, finding new friends while working in the kitchen. Cooking together became an ongoing social outlet to build and maintain relationships!
Since Doreen stepped back from leading the program, leaders of the Kitchen Committee and several other volunteers have been running many aspects of the hamantaschen fundraiser. These days about 30 people are involved. There are four baking sessions in February, and sales begin as soon as there are hamantaschen. In 2024 the volunteers baked over 400 dozen hamantaschen, with 370 dozen sold and many more donated to the Purim Panim before the megillah reading, the preschool party and the cake walk at the Purim carnival. The price per dozen this year is going to be a nice Jewish number, $18.
Doreen is still at the baking. She said, “I’ll be there this Sunday!” Here’s the recipe that is used for the hamantaschen:
Bet Shalom Hamantaschen (Recipe by Doreen Greenblat, adjusted by Belia Jimenez-Lorente)
Dough – (Makes about 4 dozen)
You will need a mixer with a large bowl and a 3 3/4” or 4” round cookie cutter.
Ingredients:
• 2 XL Eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract (real extract, not the fake kind)
• 1 Orange (zest rind and save to include in dough and juice)
• ½ Lemon (1 tsp zest, 2 Tbsp of the juice, this is roughly ½ a lemon)
• 1.1/4 lb. flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions:
1. In the mixer, start beating eggs. When they are well beaten, add the sugar, oil, vanilla, fruit juices, and zests. Mix all very well for about 5-6 minutes.
2. While that is mixing, sift the flour and baking powder. Start putting the dry ingredients into the wet to form the dough. It will be a somewhat sticky dough.
3. Use a bowl that will fit the dough, pour about 1/2 cup vegetable oil in the bottom, place the dough in the oil, make sure the oil covers the top of the dough as well as the sides. Pour more oil if needed.
4. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (at least overnight) and up to 3 days before you use.
When ready to make:
• Roll out ½ of the dough on a floured board to about ¼ inch thick and cut the circles.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Start to fill the cookies and place them on a baking sheet (parchment paper needs to be used for best results).
• Bake about 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool on a cooling rack.
• These cookies freeze very well.
Fillings
Traditional Poppy Seed:
Ingredients:
• 12.5 oz. Solo Poppy seed cake and pastry filling
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• ½ cup ground nuts (walnuts work best but you can use almonds, hazelnuts, etc.)
Instructions:
Mix all the ingredients, place in the fridge until ready to use. Stays well for 2-3 days in the fridge. I like to make it the day before I use it. Careful filling the cookies, do not overfill, poppy seeds will explode!
Apricot
Ingredients:
• 1 lb. dried apricots
• 6 oz golden raisins
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• ¼ cup apricot jam
Instructions:
Grind and mix the apricots and raisins. Add the lemon and jam, mix well. Refrigerate until ready to use. Like the poppy seed, this is better if you make it the day before using and easier to work with when it’s cold.