Purim is less than two weeks away which means it is more than time to start planning for your festive celebrations and making sure you are ready for some hamantaschen baking. I always find that I look forward to baking much more when I have just the right gear, so I thought I’d share what’s been most useful to me in prepping for Purim.
I hate getting bits of flour and dough all over my counter when I am baking, so I love using one of these
Jumbo pastry mats
in order to roll out dough.
I doubted it at first, but I’ve actually found that a great rolling pin makes a difference. I love
this silicone one
. It’s really easy to clean and the dough almost never sticks to the surface.
I also want to highly recommend my absolute favorite
Silpat
. If you don’t already own one of these silicone baking mats, your baking life is about to improve forever. I love baking cookies and challah on these to ensure nothing sticks or burns and everything comes out perfect.
What to put inside those hamantaschen? My personal vote is for creamy, nutty, chocolatey
Nutella
. It’s easy, delicious but also a bit outside the bounds of traditional apricot or poppyseed.
Scientific fact: kids love to dress up. And maybe it will keep them quiet for 3 minutes while you finish your hamantachen baking. Well, we can hope. Get them this
set of Purim masks
.
But since adults love to dress up, too (at least, I do) I love this set of
fancy feather masks
perfect to distribute at a Purim party.
I also really love this silly but classic
wooden Haman grogger
! Forget using it as a noisemaker—I think it would make a great decorative accent for your Purim tablescape.
Handing out hamantaschen or other treats to your friends and community? I love these brightly colored mini takeout boxes perfect for mishloach manot.
And if your heart’s in the right place but you want someone else to do the baking for you, send a delicious basket like
this one
. (Use code AFPUR14 for 10% off orders over $50, before 3/16).
Hope these picks were fun for you. Happy Purim 2014!
challah
Pronounced: KHAH-luh, Origin: Hebrew, ceremonial bread eaten on Shabbat and Jewish holidays.
Purim
Pronounced: PUR-im, the Feast of Lots, Origin: Hebrew, a joyous holiday that recounts the saving of the Jews from a threatened massacre during the Persian period.
