Rose pistachio; date and orange

Makes: 36 mini hamantaschen

Prep: 60 minutes Cooking time 12-15 minutes

INGREDIENTS: Date and orange:

75g pitted dates

1 orange - ½ tsp orange zest and 20ml orange juice

¼ tsp cinnamon

Rose scented custard:

200ml ready-made, thick custard 1-2 drops rose extract

30g of raw tahini plus sprinkle of sesame seeds to decorate

30g of ground pistachios plus a few shelled pistachios to decorate

For the hamantaschen dough: 125g butter, softened

50g sugar

1-2 egg yolk (medium eggs)

1 tsp vanilla extract 250g-275g plain flour

METHOD:

● First make the date filling: in a food processor, blend together the filling ingredients until you get an almost smooth, jam like consistency.

If very dry, blend in water, a teaspoon at a time, until smooth and jam like.

● Next prepare the rose custard: divide the ready-made custard equally into two bowls. Into half of it, stir the raw tahini and into the other, mix the ground pistachios. To prepare the hamantaschen:

● Preheat oven to 180°C (fan) and line an oven tray with baking parchment.

● In a medium bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add sugar and beat until smooth. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and continue to beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

● Add 225g of the flour and blend at low speed until thoroughly combined.

● Sprinkle flour on to your work surface and using a floured rolling pin — the dough will be sticky — roll the dough until ½ cm thick. Using a 4-5cm diameter cookie cutter or shot glass, cut out circles and place them on the lined oven tray, 2cm apart from each other.

● Continue until you’ve used all the dough scraps, rerolling and cutting until almost all dough is used.

● Drop ½ tsp of filling in the centre of each circle, then fold in three sides of the circle to create a triangle shape and almost cover all the filling. Do half with one filling and half with the other.

● Bake for 12-15 minutes or until edges begin to brown.

● When you serve, scatter with orange zest, pistachios, rose petals.