This was my first time ever trying Hamantaschen. In fact, when my boyfriend came by the office with these treats, I had no idea what they were. After a little research I discovered that they are a Jewish cookie, which are only around for a few weeks of the year for the Jewish holiday Purim (usually in February or March). Traditionally, the triangle-shaped goodies are filled with fruit spreads or chocolate. The ones I tried were chocolate and vanilla ($1.50 each). The vanilla is custard-like and has the added surprise of chocolate chips, while the chocolate is reminiscent of brownie batter but not overly sweet. The cookie reminded me very much of shortbread, but thinner. Uri Scheft, the baker behind Breads Bakery, is from Israel and has become well-known for his chocolate rugelach. I have read that it takes skill to create a good Hamantaschen, as the bad ones can be so hard to break a tooth, but this is definitely not the case here. Scheft has created the perfect ratio of cookie to filling, and I will need to take advantage of these little gems before they’re gone. Trust me, buy more than one.
Breads Bakery: 18 E 16th St, New York, NY 10003
Leave a Reply