makes about 40 cookies. Depends on how you cut them
Ingredients
FILLING
16oz dried figs
8oz dried dates (pitted)
1 cup raisins (golden or dark)
1 cup walnuts
1 cup almonds
3/4 cup hazelnuts
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon (save lemon for glaze)
1/3 cup Marsala Wine (see notes)
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1.5 teaspoon Cinnamon
DOUGH
1.25 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 yolk (save whites for glaze)
3.5 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
GLAZE
1 egg white
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
TO MAKE THE FILLING
1. Rehydrate the figs by placing them in a bowl and cover with hot water. Check every 5 mins until figs are soft.
2. Once figs are soft remove and dry with paper towels. Remove stems from figs.
3. Rough chop figs and dates and place both in a bowl.
4. Process all the nuts in a food processor. Pulse a couple times till nuts are roughly chopped.
5. Add figs and dates and process until coarse chopped.
6. Add both zests, marmalade, honey, marsala and cinnamon and process until filling is finely chopped and thick consistency.
7. Cover filling with clear film and place in fridge for 1 hour up to 3 days.
MAKE THE DOUGH
1. In a stand mixer or electric mixer beat butter. Gradually add sugar.
2. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time beating well after each egg.
3. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
4. On a floured surface roll dough into a log and cut into 4 pieces. Refrigerate each piece overnight or up to 3 days.
MAKE THE COOKIES:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Once dough is cooled place on a floured surface and roll dough into a roughly 12x9 sheet. Trim edges and cut in half lengthwise.
3. Spoon filling onto dough lengthwise on one edge of dough. Be generous.
4. Fold dough to cover filling so it looks like a long log. Pinch edges to close. Repeat with rest of dough and filling.
5. Cut 1” pieces throughout the whole log.
6. Place on a prepared tray and Bake for 25-30 mins or until golden brown.
7. Once cookies come out let cool for 5 minutes and add glaze and sprinkles.
MAKE THE GLAZE:
1. Whisk egg white and lemon juice in a bowl. Slowly add powdered sugar until combined. Glaze should be thick.
NOTES
-You can use any nuts you want except for peanuts. Peanuts don’t go well with this recipe.
-You can substitute Marsala Wine for bourbon, dark rum or even water.
-If you don’t want to use glaze or sprinkles you can brush egg on top of each cookie before baking.
-The longer the filling stays in the fridge the more flavorful it becomes.
-Filling and dough can be prepared up to 3 days in advance
-Remove dough from refrigerator 30 mins before shaping. Make sure dough is cool. If dough gets too soft put it back in the fridge.