Hamantaschen With Yeast Dough - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Yeast starter
1/2 cup warmed milk
1/2 cup warm water
5 teaspoons dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Dough
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted and cooled butter or 1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, at room temperature lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 -5 cups all-purpose flour
Egg wash
1 whole egg, mixed with
2 tablespoons milk or 2 tablespoons water

Preparation

Starter:
Place the milk in a large mixing bowl and mix with the water, yeast, sugar and flour to make a sloppy batter.
Cover and allow to stand for 20- 30 minutes.
Dough:
Stir the sponge and add it to the sugar, melted butter, vanilla, eggs, salt and enough flour to make a soft, kneadable dough.
Knead for 5 to 8 minutes until smooth.
Cover well with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
At this stage, you can also refrigerate until the next day but allow dough to reach room temperature before proceeding.
Divide the dough in half.
Work, with one piece, leaving the rest of the dough covered with a tea towel.
Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick.
Cut out 3 inch circles with a cookie cutter or glass.
Brush the circles with egg wash.
Put tablespoon of desired filling in each.
Bring 3 edges together to form triangles.
Brush the filled hamantaschen with additional egg eash and sprinkle lightly with sugar if desired.
Repeat with remaining dough.
15 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 350\u00b0F Line 1 or 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
Place the hamantashcen on the trays.
Cover lightly with a tea towel and let them rise 15 to 25 minute.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes until medium golden.
Cool on the baking sheets.