Brown's Deli puts a new spin on Hamentashen

All year long, Brown's Deli in Maitland offers freshly baked apricot and raspberry hamentashen, but now is the time for a Purim plethora of varieties. The traditional three-pointed hat-of-Hamen-shaped cookie in not-so-traditional flavors like reverse chocolate peanut butter, s'mores, almond coconut delight, cherry pie, and cinnamon apple, to name a few. Of course, there will be poppy seed and prune for delicious nostalgia.

The bakery at Brown's serves a wide variety of Kosher Parve desserts. Because they are a certified Kosher meat restaurant, no dairy products may be used in baking. Owner, Lauren Brown and Le Cordon Bleu trained pastry chef, Kevan Roberts rely upon their creativity and professional experience to craft recipes that are beautiful and delicious while complying with dietary restrictions. The crown jewel of the bakery is the chocolate babka in whole cakes or individual tulip papers. Large cake slices are served warm to the table. As Jerry Seinfeld would say, a chocolate babka is the only suitable dessert to bring to a dinner party, "ya gotta have a chocolate babka!"

In addition to satisfying Jewish dietary law, several of the items in the bakery are particularly pleasing to specialized diners. The powdered sugar-coated wedding cookies and chocolate cream-filled sandwich cookies are vegan while the chocolate-tipped almond horns, fluffy meringues, and fresh macaroons are gluten free.

For Passover, Brown's Deli bakes fresh macaroons, meringues, cookies and a variety of cakes. For the second year, Brown's restaurant will remain open during the week of Passover after koshering the dining room and serving from a limited special menu. Passover desserts and menu items will be available for pre-purchase and for dine-in or take-out during the holiday.

Order forms for Hamentashen are available at Brown's Deli, located at 156 Lake Avenue in Maitland, Brown's Café in the Maitland JCC Lobby, or online at http://www.brownsnydeli.com.

Brown's Deli offers online ordering for individuals and groups, Doorstep Delivery Service, gift cards, business, condolence, and social catering. Open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information call 407-690-6999, or email info@brownsnydeli.com.

Here's a recipe to enjoy from Brown's Deli:

Almond Coconut Delight Hamentashen

(yield 2 dozen)

Dough:

1 cup margarine

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1/4 cup soy milk

4 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Filling:

7 1/2 ounces cream of coconut

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add eggs and vanilla.

Alternate adding flour and soy milk.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.

Cut using 4" round cookie cutter.

Combine all filling ingredients.

Scoop 1 tablespoon of filling into center of cookies.

Pinch sides to form triangle shape.

Egg wash outer sides.

Bake on non-stick cookie sheet or parchment lined pan for 10 minutes or until golden.

Decorate with melted chocolate drizzle, toasted sliced almonds & shredded coconut.