Fig-Stuffed Cookies: Cuccidati Italian
Serves: 3
Halle Leffler
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
58
Spice
50
Sweetness
50
Sourness
42
mins
Prep time (avg)
5.8
Difficulty
Ingredients:
230 g
Dried Fig (chopped)6 tbsps
Brandy60 g
Raisin60 g
Date60 g
Dried Cherry60 g
Citron1 cup
Walnut Pieces (toasted)1 tsp
Ground Nutmeg1 tsp
Ground Cinnamon2.5 cups
All-Purpose Flour1 cup
Sugar (confectioners')3 tsps
Baking Powder1 tsp
Salt2 tbsps
Milk1 tsp
Vanilla ExtractDirections:
1
Make the Filling: In a bowl, combine the figs with 4 tablespoons of brandy and let soak overnight or up to 4 weeks
2
In a food processor, combine the soaked figs, the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, and all the remaining filling ingredients
3
Process until chopped and well combined
4
(Alternatively, run all the ingredients through a meat grinder
5
Some Italian women bring their filling ingredients to the butcher and have him grind it for them
6
) Keep chilled until ready to use
7
Make the Pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse to mix
8
Add the butter and pulse until it looks like fine crumbs
9
In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs and milk
10
While the motor in running, pour the liquid through the feed tube until just combined and a dough is formed
11
Form the dough into a disk and chill 30 minutes
12
On a floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick
13
With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut out large (3-inch long) almond shaped pieces from the dough
14
Transfer the pieces to a sheet pan; then chill
15
To form the cookies, have ready the filling, the chilled dough pieces, the egg wash with a pastry brush, and a sharp knife
16
Paint the edges of the dough pieces with egg wash and place 1 teaspoon of filling shaped into an oval in the center of half the pieces
17
Top each with a second piece of dough and carefully pinch the edges together to seal
18
Trim the excess dough from around the edges
19
Make each dough package look like a bird or fish, by shaping and cutting decorative lines
20
You can split 1 end to look like a tail, carve rows of lines to look like feathers or fins, cut a curved line for the gills or beak opening, and a hole for the eye
21
(There are many different shapes they're made into, such as wreaths, slippers, and crescents
22
) Re-chill the cookies Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F
23
Brush the cookies with the egg wash
24
Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes
25
Meanwhile make the Icing: In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients
26
Toss the cookies with the icing while they're still hot and sprinkle with the colored sprinkles, or leave them plain
27
The icing makes the cookies look like porcelain when they're done