Cuccidati (sicilian Fig Cookies)

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 40
• 4 cups flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 16 tablespoons butter
• 4 eggs
• 12 ounces dried figs, finely diced
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup candied orange, diced
• 1/2 cup almonds, finely chopped
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, cut into small dice
• 1/3 cup apricot preserves
• 3 tablespoons dark rum
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon clove, ground
• egg wash
• 2 eggs
• 1 pinch salt
• multi-colored candy sprinkles (optional)

Recipe

recipe

• 1 directions:.
• 2 place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. run the blade a few times to mix.
• 3 add the butter to the bowl and pulse to combine. add the eggs, and run the blade until forming a consistent dough.
• 4 transfer the dough to a floured work surface and wrap in a plastic foil. place in the refrigerator.
• 5 in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the figs, raisins, candied orange, almonds, chocolate, apricot preserve, rum, cinnamon, and cloves. pulse the blade until a smooth compound is obtained.
• 6 transfer the fig paste to a bowl.
• 7 preheat oven to 350 f (180 c).
• 8 prepare the egg wash by beating the eggs with a pinch of salt.
• 9 remove the dough from the refrigerator, and unwrap it on a floured work surface. add a small quantity of flour. knead the dough to make it soft and smooth.
• 10 cut the dough into 10 - 12 pieces. with the help of a rolling pin, flatten each piece into a rectangle approximately 3 x 15 inch (7 x 35 cm).
• 11 brush the egg wash on the dough.
• 12 place approximately 1/3 cup of filling in the center of the rectangle lengthwise.
• 13 take one edge of the dough and bring it over the filling to form a roll.
• 14 with the palm of your hands roll the cylinder to make it even.
• 15 cut the roll into 4-5 pieces approximately 3 - 4 inch (8 - 10 cm) long. set them aside. continue forming the rolls until all the dough and the filling are used.
• 16 using a sharp knife, cut 4 - 5 diagonal incisions on the surface of the rolls. you can also cut straight incisions on the surface of the rolls, and curve the cookies in a "u" shape.
• 17 transfer the rolls to 3 cookie pans lined with parchment paper.
• 18 brush the surface with the remaining egg wash.
• 19 optionally sprinkle with multicolored nonpareil.
• 20 bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. transfer onto racks to cool.