Anise-Scented Fig And Date Swirls
Recipe By :Gourmet
Serving Size : 36
1 cup dried figs -- firmly packed (as soft as possible)
1 cup pitted dates -- firmly packed
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar -- plus
2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon anise seed -- ground
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter -- softened
4 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup granulated raw sugar -- Turbinado or Demerara
In a blender purée figs and dates with water and 2 tablespoons refined sugar. In a bowl whisk together flour, anise, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mix-er beat together butter, cream cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup refined sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, yolk, and flour mixture and beat until a dough forms. Form dough into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in wax paper, 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
On a lightly floured sheet of wax paper with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into a 13- by 10-inch rectangle, about 1/3 inch thick. Drop fig mixture by spoonfuls onto dough and gently spread an even layer over dough. Starting with a long side, roll dough jelly-roll fashion into a 13-inch log, using wax paper as a guide. Roll log in raw sugar to coat. Chill log, wrapped in wax paper, 4 hours, or until firm. (After the dough has been formed into a log it can be kept in the refrigerator for one week or the freezer for one month. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator until sliceable, about four hours. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.)
Preheat oven to 350° F. and lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
Cut log into 1/3-inch-thick rounds and arrange about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, about 13 minutes, and transfer to racks to cool. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.
Recipe By :Gourmet
Serving Size : 36
1 cup dried figs -- firmly packed (as soft as possible)
1 cup pitted dates -- firmly packed
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar -- plus
2 tablespoons sugar
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon anise seed -- ground
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter -- softened
4 ounces cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg yolk
1/4 cup granulated raw sugar -- Turbinado or Demerara
In a blender purée figs and dates with water and 2 tablespoons refined sugar. In a bowl whisk together flour, anise, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl with an electric mix-er beat together butter, cream cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup refined sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, yolk, and flour mixture and beat until a dough forms. Form dough into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in wax paper, 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
On a lightly floured sheet of wax paper with a floured rolling pin roll out dough into a 13- by 10-inch rectangle, about 1/3 inch thick. Drop fig mixture by spoonfuls onto dough and gently spread an even layer over dough. Starting with a long side, roll dough jelly-roll fashion into a 13-inch log, using wax paper as a guide. Roll log in raw sugar to coat. Chill log, wrapped in wax paper, 4 hours, or until firm. (After the dough has been formed into a log it can be kept in the refrigerator for one week or the freezer for one month. Thaw the frozen dough in the refrigerator until sliceable, about four hours. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.)
Preheat oven to 350° F. and lightly butter 2 baking sheets.
Cut log into 1/3-inch-thick rounds and arrange about 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, about 13 minutes, and transfer to racks to cool. The baked cookies keep in airtight containers at room temperature for four days.