As a little girl growing up in a community that spoke both Yiddish and English, it was exciting to discover that I was eating a pastry that sounded a lot like the word for the pockets in my clothing. My Bobba explained that tashen were indeed pockets in Yiddish. She also told me that even though we fill homentashen with different fillings, traditionally they had mon (sweet poppy seeds) inside, as a reference to the Book Of Esther. Esther lived in the palace in Shushan and because of her need to keep kosher, she ate mainly seeds and nuts. Additionally, the Yiddish word for poppy seed is mon, which reminds us of Haman’s name. Modern Jewish home bakers have filled homentashen with many different flavors, although my favorite has always been the one that connects me to my childhood, sweet cheesecake filling.
Super-Secret Tip: When I make this recipe, I leave my yeast to bloom in sugary, 110°F water as I work. This serves the purpose of making sure the yeast is fully activated, vibrant, and ready to transform the dough. Another valuable aspect of leaving the yeast to bloom comes from baking with my children when they were young. I explained to them that like people, yeast is a living thing that needs food, water, a warm place to live, and lots of tender loving care. Only then can it grow. It was a hands-on way to introduce my children to science in the kitchen and pass along a good life lesson.
Second Super-Secret Tip: I use my trusty stand-mixer with a kneading hook to prepare the dough. My trick is to spray the hook with nonstick spray to prevent the dough from climbing the hook. I knead the dough for about 10 minutes. To see if my dough has been kneaded enough to develop the glutens, I check that it is smooth and slightly tacky. I then poke it with a finger to make sure the indentation fills back quickly. I find it is especially important to leave my dough to rest after I have rolled it out before I cut it into circles. That way, when the homentashen rise, they do not pull apart and open. I also make sure all my sides overlap so that even if they do open, only a small portion of filling is showing and it still holds its traditional triangular shape.
Third Super-Secret Tip: Roll out the dough to about the thickness of two quarters, between 4mm and 5mm. It should be thin enough to fold easily but not tear. Too thick, and your homentashen will puff up to look like slightly pointy, cheese filled balls.
I hope this recipe brings you as much joy as it has for my family.
Zei Gezunt
Morah Leora
Ingredients:
Dough
½ cup warm water
2 Tablespoons of Yeast
½ cup warm milk
½ cup melted butter
2 eggs
½ cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
4 ½ cups of flour
Filling
1 egg
16oz cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons of cream if needed
Glaze
1 egg
¼ cup milk
Method
Dough
Warm your water to 110°F
Mix 1 teaspoon of sugar into your ½ cup of warm water. The container must have enough room for the yeast to grow. Make sure the water is still at around 110°F, then thoroughly stir in your yeast and put it aside.
Wait for the yeast mixture to foam. Not just surface bubbles but a thick layer of foam.
Combine all other ingredients in your mixer bowl.
Add the blooming yeast to the other ingredients and mix, starting on low speed then increase to medium speed for a total of 8-10 minutes.
Put the kneaded dough in a greased bowl and cover with a damp cloth.
Allow to rise for 90 minutes.
Punch down the dough and allow it to rise for another 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough to the thickness of about two stacked quarters (between 4mm and 5mm), and allow it to rest before cutting.
Cut into circles 4 inches in diameter.
Filling
Warm the cream cheese to room temperature
Add all the ingredients to your mixing bowl
Use the whisk attachment and mix on high until smooth
Place a tablespoonful of filling in the center of your dough round and fold.
Place the sealed homentashen onto your parchment-covered cookie sheet or a baking mat and leave to rise for 10 minutes.
Glaze
While the folded homentashen are rising one last time, beat your egg and milk together.
Brush onto homentashen.
Bake at 350° F for 20 minutes or until golden brown.