Homemade Treats for Mishloach Manot

This year, Purim starts the evening of March 23. One way to get ready is to create and send mishloach manot, also known as a Purim basket. These gifts, sent to family and friends, are meant to ensure everyone has enough food and drink for the Purim feast.

Cookbook author Faith Kramer likes to serve and gift infused vodkas at her Purim seduah (celebratory meal) and includes them in mishloach manot.
“With the tradition that one is to imbibe during the holiday until the names of Haman and Mordecai are indistinguishable, I thought shots of my Pink Grapefruit-Rosemary, Lemon Peppercorn and Thai Bird’s Eye Chili vodka, icy cold from the freezer, would add to the party,” Kramer, the author of “52 Shabbats: Friday Night Dinners Inspired by a Global Jewish Kitchen,” told the Journal.

Note: The recipes double well if you need to make larger batches.
“Store the finished flavored vodka in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer in a bottle with a sealable cap, decanting into smaller bottles to share,” Kramer said. “I’ve found two to four days of infusion sufficient, but you might like a stronger or milder flavor, and each batch will vary.”

Pink Grapefruit-Rosemary Vodka
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1 medium large organic, pink-skinned star ruby or pink grapefruit
1 3″ sprig of fresh rosemary
1½ cups unflavored vodka

Scrub and rinse grapefruit. Peel with a knife into long strips, being careful to not include any of the white pith (which will make the vodka bitter). Reserve the remainder of the fruit for another use. Place the peels into a sterilized glass jar with a lid. Rinse rosemary sprig and add to the jar. Pour vodka in.

Tightly close lid and place in cool, dark place such as a pantry or closet. Shake the bottle once or twice a day. After 48 hours, pour off a sip into a glass (do not sip from the jar). Taste. If not at desired flavor, repeat every day or two until flavor strength is as desired.

Line a strainer with cheesecloth over a 2-cup measuring cup or bowl. Pour vodka through the strainer, discarding solids. Pour flavored liquid back into a clean, sterilized bottle. Close cap or seal airtight. Store in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator or freezer.

Lemon Peppercorn Vodka
Makes about 1 ½ cups

2 medium large organic lemons
½ Tbsp whole peppercorns (black, green, white, pink or brown or try a mix)
1 ½ cups unflavored vodka

Scrub and rinse lemons. Peel with a knife into strips, being careful to not include any of the white pith. Reserve the remainder of fruit for another use. Place the peels into a sterilized glass jar with a lid. Rinse peppercorns and add to the jar. Pour vodka in. Tightly close lid and place in cool, dark place.

Follow tasting, decanting and storage directions for Pink Grapefruit-Rosemary Vodka.

Thai Bird’s Eye Chili Vodka
Makes about 1 ½ cups

½ cup fresh red Thai bird’s eye chilis (or other small, hot fresh red chilis)
1 ½ cups unflavored vodka

Pick very fresh, firm chilis. Discard any with bruises or brown spots. Leave chili stems on. Rinse well. Place in a sterilized glass bottle with vodka. Tightly close the container. Store in a cool, dark place.’

Follow tasting, decanting and storage directions for Pink Grapefruit-Rosemary Vodka.

Note: These flavored vodkas will store almost indefinitely in the freezer; if at any point mold or off smells or flavors develop, discard the entire batch.

Beth Lee’s date thumbprint cookies are a buttery delicious treat, perfect for Purim baskets.

“Perfumed with rose water and orange blossom water, these cookies are the intersection of several cultural cookie recipes,” Lee, a cookbook author (“The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook”), cooking teacher and OG food blogger at OMGYummy.com, told the Journal.

This includes a Persian cookie (koloocheh) and a Lebanese formed and filled cookie (ma’amul), as well as hamantaschen.

“The date filling will remind you of lekvar (prune filling), the hamantaschen filling so many of us remember from our childhood Purim celebrations,” she said.

Date and Walnut Thumbprints
24 servings

Dough
1 cup unsalted butter or refined coconut oil at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 tsp orange blossom water
1 tsp rose water
2 cups all-purpose flour or if gluten free: ¾ cup fava bean flour, ¾ cup coconut flour, ½ cup tapioca flour
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground cardamom
2 tsp baking powder
¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting the cookies after they are baked

Filling
½ cup finely chopped walnuts used for filling and sprinkling
½ cup Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tsp honey
Pinch of kosher salt

Dough
Make the dough first, as it will need to chill and you can prepare the filling while it does.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla, orange blossom water, rose water and egg, and mix until just combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour(s), salt, cardamom and baking powder.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches (three or four, if you double the recipe), stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. If it doesn’t all come together, use your hands for the last bit of kneading to incorporate all of the flour. Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap and press it into a disk. Wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours, until firm but still flexible.

Filling
To make the filling, combine ¼ cup of the walnuts with the dates, cinnamon, orange juice, honey and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the mixture forms a thick paste. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.

Form and Bake the Cookies
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
To make each cookie, wet your hands and break off a walnut-sized piece of the dough. Roll into a ball and then flatten between the palms of your hand to about ¼ inch thick and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Make a hollow in the center of each with your thumb; fill with about ½ teaspoon of the date mixture and then sprinkle some nuts on top. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Refrigerate the cookies for 45 minutes, until firm. While the cookies chill, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the cookies for 25 minutes (20 minutes convection), until the undersides are golden. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely. Dust the cookies with the powdered sugar if you desire and serve. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.