Hamantaschen, the hallmark cookie of Purim, consist of triangular pockets of pastry filled with poppy seeds or a variety of jams such as prune, apricot, or raspberry. The story behind this Purim treat relates to the villain of the day, Haman, and they are known in Hebrew as oznei Haman, or "Haman's Ears." Mythology aside, hamantaschen are ubiquitous during the Purim season and the sweet cookies would surely cheer me up.

Leafing through my recipes, however, I failed to find one that encouraged the mood of Purim. Though charming, traditional hamantaschen seemed, well, too simple and boring compared the over-the-top revelry that Purim inspires. Excess is the norm--indulgent drinking and feasting, elaborate gifts of food, silly costumes, and dancing are all encouraged. Temperance appears to have no place when celebrating Purim.

But how to transform plain old hamantaschen into a more extravagant treat that matches the decadence of the day? To a self-professed chocoholic, the solution was clear--chocolate, and more chocolate.

In this "decadent" version of hamantaschen, chocolate sucree dough is folded over a center of dark chocolate ganache. The flavor and quality of the chocolate used to make the ganache should be rich. Keeping in the "spirit" of Purim, the ganache is spiked with a healthy splash of rum. When I made these, I sprinkled the pastry under the filling with dried cherries for a hint of tartness. Dried cranberries, chopped nuts, or candy toffee chunks would also be wonderful variations.<<< Less