Cuccidati Fig Cookie
Sicilian Fig Cookies ‘Cuccidati’ are a taste of Christmas! A melt in your mouth pastry encasing a delicious filling of Sue Heward’s Singing Magpie award-winning figs, nuts, spices, orange and drizzled with a touch of icing. The pastry is rolled around the filling and is either cut into short tubes, or curved around to form a "bracelet". It’s nice to spread out the preparation as the filling and dough can both be refrigerated overnight or up to 3 days before assembly. Cuccidati store extremely well in an airtight container for up to 4 weeks and taste better over time.
Makes: Approx. 50 cookies
Preparation: 1.5 hours
INGREDIENTS
Filling (Prepared first)
1 cup almonds
1 ½ cups walnuts
2 cups dried figs, I like to use Singing Magpie Premium Dried Figs
½ cup medjool dates
½ cup raisins
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
⅓ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup marsala wine
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
Dough (Prepared after filling)
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
⅓ cup caster sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 egg yolk (reserve white for icing)
3 ½ cups plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
¼ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
Icing (Prepared last)
1 egg white, reserved from dough
1 tsp lemon juice
2 cups pure icing sugar
Sprinkles, optional
METHOD
To make the filling
Add almonds and walnuts to a large dry frypan and toast nuts over a medium-low heat for about 5-8 minutes until fragrant and light golden, stirring constantly so they do not burn. Remove from heat and spoon out onto a large plate.
Roughly chop the figs and dates, removing seeds from the dates.
In a medium bowl, combine figs, dates, and raisins. Pour over boiling water and let soak for 5 minutes. Drain, pressing down on the fruit with the back of a spoon to remove excess moisture.
Process almonds and walnuts in a food processor until a fine crumb. This won't take very long.
Pour the nut meal into a large bowl.
Spoon the soaked fruit into the food processor and blend until smooth. You may need to scrape down the sides here to ensure everything is combined.
Spoon the pureed fruit on top of the nut meal and add the orange and lemon zest, marmalade, marsala wine, cinnamon, and cloves.
Cover and refrigerate overnight, or up to three days.
To make the dough
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, with either a stand mixer or hand-held beater.
Add the egg, followed by the egg yolk, and beat on medium speed until combined.
In a separate bowl, sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Stir milk and vanilla extract together.
Spoon the flour mixture into the butter mixture, alternating with the milk while beating on low speed until a soft dough forms.
Bring the dough together into a large round and cut it in half. Form those two halves into rounds and portion into 4 equal-sized pieces, so that you now have 8 portions. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator overnight, or up to three days.
To assemble the cuccidati
Remove pastry from the fridge at least 30 - 60 minutes beforehand, depending on the temperature in your kitchen. If you find it becoming too soft whilst making the cookies, place it back into the fridge.
Preheat oven to 170 °C (fan-forced) and line three baking trays with baking paper.
Take 1 pastry disc at a time. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a rough rectangle, 3mm thick.
Trim sides to make a 30cm x 10cm rectangle, reserving pastry scraps.
Using moistened hands, portion the filling into 8.
Using moistened hands, take one portion and form it into a log so that it is as long as the pastry rectangle. Place this on the left-hand side of the pastry, and moisten the other edge of the pastry with a little water.
Fold the pastry over the filling, seam side down, so that it now resembles a long log. Repeat with the remaining pastry and fruit filling.
Using a sharp, lightly floured knife, cut each log into 6 even pieces. Make 2 slits on one side. And gently fan out before placing onto the baking trays.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, rotating trays halfway through the baking time, until light golden.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
To ice
Whisk the egg white and lemon juice together in a medium-sized bowl whilst gradually adding sifted icing sugar until it becomes thick and glossy. If it is really thick, slowly add a little bit of water at a time until it falls from the whisk in thick ribbons.
Dip each cuccidati into the icing to only half way up the sides from the top of the cookie, allowing excess to drip off, before placing onto the wire rack.
Option to scatter some sprinkles on top for extra festive cheer.
Acknowledgement: Recipe inspired by Marcella Cantatore of Marcellina in Cucina. Created, tested and styled by Amy Minichiello.
