Carolina Cucidati Southern Italian Fruit Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN FIG COOKIES (CUCIDATI)

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter on medium-high speed using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and blend just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and beat again for a few seconds. Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the flour mixture to the dough in three additions, mixing on low to incorporate.
• Divide the dough in half and form each into a small rectangle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or up to overnight.
• In a small saucepan, combine the figs, dates, orange juice, candied orange peel, sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes or until fruit is soft and the mixture is thick. Remove from the heat and add the chopped blanched almonds and 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier, if using. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap once cooled until needed.
• To assemble and bake the cookies, preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and allow it to rest for 10-15 minutes before rolling out.
• Place a piece of wax or parchment paper (at least 14x10 inches) on a clean work surface. Generously dust the paper with flour. Roll one portion of the dough into a 10x8-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle into two 10x4-inch strips. Portion 1/4 of the filling down the center of each strip (in a rounded mound). CHILL the dough and filling as is for 10-15 minutes before rolling into cylinders.
• Using the parchment paper as a guide, bring one long side of the dough up and over the filling. Repeat with the opposite side forming a tube and enclosing the filling. The dough should overlap slightly on top of the filling. Gently seal the edges.
• Carefully transfer the filled strips to the prepared baking sheet placing them seam side down on the pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove from the oven and immediately slice each strip (using a large thin knife) diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
• Combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Drizzle on each cookie then top with colored sprinkles if desired.

CUCIDATI (ITALIAN FIG COOKIES)

Steps:

• Put the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor and pulse briefly to mix. Add the butter, in small cubes, the vanilla and egg and pulse to form crumbs. Add the milk and pulse a couple times to bring the mixture together.
• Remove the blade from the food processor and take out the dough. Knead it briefly (just once or twice) and bring the dough together in a ball. Wrap it in cling wrap/film and chill for at least an hour or two until firm or leave overnight. If you leave overnight, you may need to take it out 20min or so before rolling so it is not too cold.
• Remove the tough stem from the fibs then chop them into roughly quarters. Roughly chop the dates, if not already chopped.
• Place the figs, dates, raisins, almonds, chocolate, honey, marmalade/jam, brandy/whisky and cinnamon in the food processor and blend until a relatively smooth paste forms, scraping down and pulsing slightly more as needed.
• Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Line a baking sheet/tray with parchment or a silicone mat.
• Unwrap the cookie dough and roll it on a floured surface into a rectangle roughly 10in x 8in (25cm x 20cm). Neaten off the edges so they are relatively straight.
• Cut the piece of dough in half the long way (ie so you have two pieces around 10 x 4in). Separate the pieces of dough slightly to make them easier to work with and to make sure they are not stuck to the work surface.
• Divide the filling in two and use half to make a log the length of one of the pieces of dough, in the middle. Make sure it goes right to the end.
• Roll over one side of the dough and keep rolling so it goes all the way rough and the join is on the bottom. It is fine if it overlaps slightly. Cut the log into slices roughly 1 -1 1/2in (3-4cm ) in length. Transfer them to the lined baking sheet and then repeat with the rest of the dough and filling.
• Bake the cookies for approximately 15 minutes until the dough looks slightly dry and they are just starting to brown at the edges and underneath. They may feel slightly soft on top but they should feel dry. Allow to cool a couple minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Once the cookies have completely cooled, Place the cooling rack with the cookies over a baking sheet (to collect any dropped sprinkles).
• Sift the confectioner's sugar into a small bowl. Add the lemon juice and mix until smooth. Drizzle/spoon a little of the glaze on top of around 3-4 cookies at a time then sprinkle on some sprinkles on top. Repeat with the rest. (Alternatively, you can turn the cookie over and dip them in the frosting, but it will likely run slightly and be a bit thicker. You will also need more glaze - I'd suggest making around double to have enough to dip in.)
• Allow the glaze to dry before transferring to a container. The cookies will keep well for a good few days or more, the sprinkles may just bleed a little color.

CUCIDATI (ITALIAN FIG COOKIES)

Steps:

• For cookie dough, sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
• Add sugar and stir well.
• Cut in the shortening with a fork or pastry blender and work the mixture until it looks like corn meal.
• In a bowl, beat egg, vanilla and milk together.
• Add egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until well blended; dough will be soft.
• (The original recipe says to knead the mixture for 5 minutes on a floured surface, but I find my Kitchen-Aid works great for this step!) Divide the dough into four pieces and wrap each piece with plastic wrap.
• Refrigerate dough for 45 minutes.
• To make the filling, grind figs, dates and raisins in a food processor until coarse.
• (If you don't have a food processor, you can chop by hand until coarse) Place chopped figs, dates and raisins in a bowl.
• Add remaining filling ingredients and mix well.
• (Mixture will be thick) Set aside mixture.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Work with one piece of dough at a time, leaving the other pieces of dough in the refrigerator until needed.
• On a floured surface (I often use confectioner's sugar for rolling my dough), roll the dough to a 12-inch square.
• Cut dough into 2X3-inch rectangles.
• Spoon about 1 teaspoon of filling onto each rectangle.
• Carefully fold the long edges over to meet in the center and pinch to seal seam.
• Place each cookie, seam side down, on a baking sheet, making sure you leave at least 1-2 inches between each cookie.
• Make 2 or 3 diagonal slits on the top of each cookie with a sharp knife.
• Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are golden in color.
• Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.
• For icing, place confectioner's sugar in a bowl.
• Add just a little water or milk, until you get a smooth consistency- but not runny!
• Ice the tops of each cookie and sprinkle with colored sprinkle.
• Let icing dry completely before stacking!
• Store in air-tight containers up to 2 weeks.

CUCIDATI (FRUIT-AND-CHOCOLATE-FILLED COOKIE ROLLS)

Steps:

• For Filling: Coarsely chop chocolate in processor or food grinder.
• Add all dried fruit and orange peel and chop finely.
• Blend in honey and spices.
• Refrigerate in airtight container 2 hours (can be stored up to 2 weeks).
• For pastry: Cream butter and sugar with electric mixer.
• Beat in egg and lemon peel.
• Mix in flour and baking powder until smooth dough forms.
• Wrap with plastic.
• Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Divide pastry and filling into thirds.
• Roll one portion of pastry out on lightly floured surface to 3 x 13-inch strip.
• Trim edges.
• Form one portion of filling into 13-inch rope.
• Arrange on top of pastry 1 inch from long edge.
• Fold far edge of pastry over filling.
• Brush with water and fold up near edge to enclose filing.
• Pinch edges to seal.
• Cut pastry diagonally into 1-inch pieces.
• Arrange seam side down on ungreased baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart.
• Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake until cookies are golden, about 14 minutes.
• Cool completely on racks.
• Store cookies in airtight container.
• Glaceed Orange Peel: Score oranges into quarters, remove peel with any white pith that clings to it.
• (Reserve oranges for another use.) Cut peel into 1/8 inch wide strips.
• Boil with 6 cups water in heavy large saucepan 10 minutes.
• Drain.
• Repeat with 6 cups fresh water.
• Drain well.
• Combine 1 1/4 cups water, sugar and honey in same saucepan.
• Heat over low heat, swirling pan occasionally, until sugar dissolves.
• Increase heat and bring to a boil.
• Mix in peel.
• Boil gently until peel is tender and syrup in reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring frequently, about 40 minutes.
• Cool in colander, stirring occasionally.
• Store in airtight container (can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks).