Dried Fruit And Nut Bsteeyas Recipes

DRIED-FRUIT-AND-NUT BSTEEYAS

Steps:

• For the fruit: mix all ingredients in 1/4 cup of warm water and leave to macerate and rehydrate for at least four hours.
• For the nuts: lightly grease a baking sheet and set aside. In a skillet, melt sugar over medium heat and cook, swirling the pan, until it reaches a dark caramel color. Add butter, then nuts, and stir until nuts are covered with caramel and butter, about 5 minutes. Spread mixture on baking sheet to cool.
• For the almond cream: beat butter and sugar together in a bowl until smooth, add egg yolk, mix well, then stir in flour, cinnamon and ginger.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
• Cut phyllo sheets in half and work with three pieces at a time, keeping the remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry out. Brush one piece with melted butter, place another half sheet on top at a 45-degree angle and brush with more butter. Place third in opposite direction at a 45-degree angle and brush with butter. Carefully lifting sheets, slide a 4-inch saucer under phyllo. Spread 1/8 of almond cream in phyllo center, sprinkle almond cream with 1/4 of nuts and 1/4 of fruit, then cover with another 1/8 of cream. Fold phyllo flaps over center, creating a disk- shaped pie. Brush with butter. Repeat to make three more bsteeyas. Place on baking sheet.
• Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes, turning over after 7 minutes. Remove from oven. Dust with a little sugar and cinnamon. Serve with ginger ice cream.

MIXED FRUIT-AND-NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Put butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until smooth. Add sugars, and mix until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs one at a time until combined; mix in vanilla.
• Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in coconut, apricots, dates, macadamias, and pistachios.
• Drop batter, 2 heaping tablespoons at a time, onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly. Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer cookies on parchment paper to a wire rack to cool completely.