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1
To prepare dough, place almonds in a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until finely ground.
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2
Add flour, baking powder and salt.
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3
Process in on/off pulses for about 15 seconds longer, or until the ingredients are well blended.
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4
Sprinkle the butter over the dry ingredients.
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5
Process in on/off pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
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6
In a small bowl, use a fork to beat together sugar, egg, egg white, lemon juice, almond extract and lemon zest.
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7
Add egg mixture to the processor and process for 30 seconds, or until ingredients are incorporated and dough begins to mass around the blade be careful not to over process.
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8
Turn dough out of the processor and divide in half.
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9
Roll out each half to a scant 1/4-in.
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thick between sheets of parchment paper, being sure to smooth out any creases in the underside of the dough.
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11
Stack dough sheets on a large tray or baking sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes, or until cold but not stiff.
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12
To prepare filling, combine marzipan, egg white, lemon juice and food colouring (if used) in the food processor.
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13
Add 1 teaspoon water and process until the mixture is smooth and well blended.
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14
If mixture is still too dry to hold together, add enough additional water (1 to 2 tbsp.)
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15
to soften and smooth it.
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16
Preheat oven to 350.
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17
Generously grease several baking sheets or line them with parchment paper and set aside.
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18
Remove one sheet of dough from the refrigerator and carefully peel off the bottom sheet of parchment paper, then replace it loosely.
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19
Turn dough over and peel off top sheet of paper.
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20
Cut dough into rounds using a 2- or 2 1/2-in.
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round cutter or rim of a drinking glass.
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22
Working with one dough round at a time, place a small, rounded 1/2 teaspoons marzipan filling in the centre and fold up dough to form triangle.
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23
The marzipan should mound just slightly in the centre of the hat..
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24
Repeat with each round, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
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25
If the rounds become soft and difficult to handle at any point, slide the cookies and parchment paper onto a tray or baking sheet and refrigerate until they firm up again.
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26
Gather dough scraps and roll out between sheets of paper again.
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27
Cut out the cookies, transfer to baking sheets, and fill and shape until all the dough is used.
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28
Repeat the process with the second half of the dough.
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29
Place hamantashen in centre of oven and bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are just barely tinged with brown at the edges.
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30
Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to stand for 1 to 2 minutes.
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31
Using a spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks and let stand until cooled completely.
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32
Sprinkle the tops with a generous sifting of powdered sugar.
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33
Store cookies in an airtight container for up to a week.
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34
Freeze for longer storage.
