Monday's Menu

 One of the things I had promised my mother to bring with me was this recipe.

Her husband has been harvesting and preserving (with her help) figs. The only way I have ever known my mother to eat figs is in fig newtons. So she was unsure what she would do with jars upon jars of fig preserves. Apparently, in this dry summer, the fig trees were the only plant not having troubles.

I promised to look up a recipe for us to give a try. Don't check out yet though. I don't like figs -- not even in newtons -- however after seeing how to make these, it occurs to me that you could make just about any kind of newtons. Apple cinnamon, raisin, even chocolate occurred to me.

My mom ate several that night. So did her husband. I'll call that a success. She felt like the cookie cut some of the sweetness of the preserves and even made coffee to chow down on a few more.

Since we used preserves, I don't know how the filling here would turn out. If someone tries it, let me know.

Also, the original recipe is here. There are several very helpful pictures there if you have any confusion about the process.

Enjoy.




Homemade Fig Newtons

filling:
1 generous cup dried figs
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup apple juice
1/4 cup sugar
zest of 1/2 orange

cookie:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
zest of 1/2 grated orange
1 egg white, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Make dough first. Combine butter and 1/2 cup sugar in bowl of stand mixer. Beat together until light and fluffy. Add egg white, grated zest of 1/2 orange, and vanilla. Beat together until silky smooth. Scrape sides. Add flour and mix on low until all combined. Dough should be similar to sugar cookie dough. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm (about 2 hours).

Make filling while dough is chilling. Chop figs into small pieces. Combine figs, water, apple juice, and 1/4 cup sugar in medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until figs are soft and practically disintegrating (between 90 minutes to 2 hours). Stir regularly to avoid scorching.When done, they should have the consistency of a thick, sticky jam. Cool.

Transfer fig mixture to food processor or blender and add the grated zest of half an orange. Blend until you have a smooth paste.

Assemble the cookies. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Working quickly with the dough, roll out into a thin rectangle (appx. 16 inches by 12 inches). Cut dough rectangle into 4 strips such that you have four rectangles appx. 4 inches by 12 inches.

Take about a quarter of the fig mixture and spread along the center of one of the strips of dough. Gently fold one side over and then the second side so that filling is enclosed. Repeat until all four strips have been filled and folded.

Very gently, transfer dough strips to parchment covered baking sheet and cut into cookies. OR cut into cookies on work surface and transfer to baking sheet individually.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until slightly puffed and golden along edges.