Decadent Chocolate Hamentaschen

Ingredients:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 ounces butter substitute, softened
1 egg
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
3-4 Tablespoons heavy cream or soy creamer
Filling:
8 1/2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
8 ounces heavy cream or soy creamer
Dash salt
Rum to taste (optional)
Chopped cherries, cranberries, nuts, or toffee (optional)

Cream butter, sugar, and salt if using until light and fluffy. Add egg and mix until incorporated. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder. Add to butter mixture in two stages, alternating with the heavy cream. More or less cream might be needed depending on the consistency of the dough. Turn dough out onto plastic wrap, and form a flattened disc. Chill for at least one hour.

To prepare filling: Over a double boiler (or Pyrex bowl over small pot of simmering water), heat cream and chopped chocolate. When chocolate is mostly melted, lightly whisk until ganache-filling is smooth and shiny. Whisk in rum and salt. Chill for several hours.

To form hamantaschen: Roll chilled chocolate dough to slightly more than 1/8 inch thick. Using a round cutter or glass rim dipped in flour, cut circles of about 3 inches in diameter. If adding dried fruit or nuts, sprinkle a small amount in the center of the cut discs.

Remove ganache from fridge, and using either a small ice-cream scoop or by hand, form about 1 inch round balls and place in center of circles. Carefully fold in the edges to form a triangular shape, and pinch the corners to seal. Ensure there are no gaps or tears in the dough, to prevent filling from oozing out during baking. Bake hamantaschen on greased cookie sheets at 350 F for about 15 minutes, until crust is baked through. Ganache will liquify during baking, but will set as hamantaschen cool.