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From: Country Living US
Yields:
40
Prep Time:
1 hr
Total Time:
2 hrs
Filled with fruit, chocolate, and nuts, these festive cookies — dusted with colorful sugar for the holidays — make a tasty gift.
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Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb. whole dried figs
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup blanched almonds
- 1/2 cup orange marmalade
- 1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1 cup solid vegetable shortening
- 1 Tbsp. red decorating sugar
- 1 Tbsp. green decorating sugar
Directions
- Step 1Place figs and orange zest in a food processor and chop, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Add almonds, marmalade, chocolate chips, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, cocoa powder, cloves, and cinnamon to mixture; combine. Add warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 2 teaspoons), until mixture reaches consistency of a thick paste.
- Step 2In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine flour, remaining granulated sugar, and baking powder on low speed. With mixer still on low, add shortening, 1 tablespoon at a time (up to 1 cup), and mix until resembling coarse crumbs. Then add water, 1 teaspoon at a time (up to 1 cup), until dough begins to ball around paddle. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- Step 3Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Using damp hands, shape each piece into a 10-inch-long log, 1 inch thick. Cut each log into 10 coins. (Keep any dough you're not using covered with a damp cloth.) Using a rolling pin, roll out each coin to a 3-inch round, about 1/8-inch thickness.
- Step 4Place 1 heaping teaspoon fig filling in center of each round of dough. Using your fingers, bring 2 sides of the round up and pinch them over the filling, sealing edges of dough. Turn cookie over so seam is on bottom; then shape cookie into an almond shape. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Step 5Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. With a sharp paring knife, score several vents on top of each cookie (as shown in photo). Sprinkle cookies with decorating sugar.
- Step 6Bake cookies until lightly golden, 16 to 20 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
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