Lemon hamantaschen with Chocolate-Chestnut filling.

Lemon hamantaschen with Chocolate-Chestnut  filling.

I created the recipe by myself putting together lemon cookie dough with Chocolate-chestnut filling from Giada de Laurentiis. First of all, filling is quite delicious and can be used for many delicious pastries. For a second, cookie dough and such unique fulling creates unbelievable good treats. I hope, many of you will enjoy. And most important I found a new and very kosher ingridients for my daily menu.

Serves:
28 to 30 cookies

Lemon cookie gough

zest of one lemon
¾ cup sugar
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine, softened
juice from 1 lemon
1 egg
2 cups flour (if you need more flour, please add a little bit)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Mix the lemon zest and sugar together, then let sit for 5 minutes.
Beat the butter and lemon sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, lemon juice and continue beating until combined.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. Gather the dough together and wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Chocolate Chestnut filling

2 cups roasted chestnuts
2/3 cup sugar
Pinch kosher salt
4 tablespoons amber rum
4 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) mini semisweet chocolate chips

Blend the chestnuts, sugar and salt in a food processor until the chestnuts are finely ground. Add the rum, cocoa, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. Blend until the filling is almost smooth, scraping down the work bowl as necessary. Add the chocolate chips and pulse until combined. (Can be made 2 days in advance).

On a well-floured surface, roll the dough to about 1/4" thick. If it's very sticky, you may want to knead in some extra flour.
Using a 2 1/2" round cutter - this can vary on your preference - cut out circles as close together as possible.
Place about 3/4 of a teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold up two sides of the circle, and pinch together well to seal, then repeat with the remaining side, pinching both corners.

Bake on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 12 to 15 minutes, until just beginning to brown at the corners. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely