Hamantaschen with Almond Streusel

Yields about 3 & 1/2 dozens cookies

Filling

5 oz. (140 gram) dry apricots

3/4 cup dry cranberries

1/3 cup water, room temperature

4 tablespoons fruit spread or thick jam

Streusel

1/2 cup almond pieces

2 digestive biscuits

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour

8 tablespoons (about 100 gram) butter, cold

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoons almond meal or flour

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon kefir or buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 egg yolks (whites reserved for egg wash)

To make a streusel, place biscuits, sesame seeds, and almonds into a bowl of a food processor and process until a small bit resembles.

To make filling, place dry fruits and water into a medium saucepan and bring to boil on medium heat. Stir occasionally. Lower the heat and simmer for about 4-5 minutes until almost all water will be evaporated. Remove from the heat and give a couple of minutes to cool.

Place fruits and jam into a bowl of food processor and process until a small bit resembles. Remove filling into a plastic container, cover with a lid and keep on a kitchen counter.

To make a dough, place the flour into a big plastic bowl and shred butter with a grater in it. Using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour.

In a medium bowl, mix sugar, salt, almond meal, and baking powder. Add to a flour mixture.

In another medium bowl, mix vanilla extract, egg yolks, and kefir. Add to dry ingredients. Using your hands, make a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove dough from the refrigerator. Divide dough into smaller pieces and knead each piece in your warm hands. The dough will be enough good to roll out to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 2-in round cookie cutter or glass to cut out as many circles as possible and place 1 teaspoon of filling into the center of each dough circle. Fold like hamantaschen. Pinch the seams firmly to seal. Gather the dough scraps, re-roll, cut out additional circles. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and filling. Brush the hamantaschen with the egg whites. Carefully lift each cookie and dip face down into streusel. Place on a cookie sheet.

Bake for about 12-14 minutes. remove from the oven and cool completely. Keep in an airtight container.