Hamantaschen

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest (from 1 orange)
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups (about 10 5/8 ounces) all-purpose flour (such as Gold Medal), plus more for dusting
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup thick raspberry preserves, apricot preserves, poppy-seed filling, or chocolate-hazelnut spread (See Note)
• Beaten egg white, for brushing

Steps

1. Using an electric mixer and a large bowl, cream the butter with the sugar and orange zest for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy and light. Pause to scrape the bowl's sides whenever needed.
2. Beat in the egg, vanilla bean paste and almond extract only until incorporated, about 30 seconds. With the mixer on low, add the flour and salt and beat just until a dough forms and everything combines, about 30 seconds. Halve the dough and shape both portions into disks. Wrap each one separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. Heat the oven to 350°F. Unwrap 1 disk and roll it out on a lightly floured work surface, applying a very light dusting to the dough's top and rolling pin as needed. Use a 3 1/4-inch round cutter to cut circles and place them on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll the scraps again as needed to obtain about 12 circles altogether.
4. Place 1 teaspoon of your chosen filling at the center of every circle, then brush egg white onto the uncovered dough edges. Raise the sides into an equilateral triangle with sides about 3-inch-long and 1-inch-tall, pinching each corner closed. Turn the sides inward to overlap the filling slightly. Leave at least 1 inch between the triangles on the prepared sheet. Refrigerate them uncovered on the pan for 15 minutes. During this chilling time, repeat once with the other dough half and the remaining 1/4 cup filling.
5. Bake the chilled batch for 12 to 15 minutes, until the bottoms and corners are light golden. Set the pan on a wire rack and let the cookies cool a little for 5 minutes; then move them to wire racks to cool fully, about 30 minutes. In the meantime, bake the other chilled cookies and cool them in the same way. Keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days.