phi s t y l e

Fiance and I have this running joke about figs ever since we just happened to eat several dishes involving figs within a short period of time. Now, whenever we see figs, we say, “Figs: The Next Big Thing.“

Or, “Figs: The New Pork Belly.”
Or, “Figs: The New Slider.”
Or, “Figs: The New Coconut Water.”

So when I saw a recipe for fig cookies in my new David Leibovitz cookbook, I had to try it out.

Turns out, figs are kind of hard to find. Also, turns out I made Fig Newtons. I didn’t realize that this was the direction the recipe was going until halfway through the steps. I was expecting an actual fig cookie, with figs mixed in, as opposed to a fig-filled cookie, so that was a little disappointing. However, the recipe is spot on and it really tastes like a REAL Fig Newton. But better, of course.

The recipe is not online, and I didn’t feel like transcribing the recipe from the cookbook to the computer, as it is quite long, but I did find a variation (I didn’t use almonds/walnuts, just figs) of the recipe that is pretty similar.

Ingredients
2 cups halved dried figs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup honey
zest from half of a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, soft
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 each whole eggs, at room temperature
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 ounces toasted almonds*
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
*or walnuts, or 1/2 cup flour and omit food processor step.

Directions for Fig Puree

1. Trim off and discard the hard stem from figs.
2. Put figs in a saucepan with sugar and lemon. Fill with water until figs are submerged. Cover and bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes. Add more water if water boils away.
3. When figs are tender, drain and pass through a food processor. Add vanilla and stir. Let cool.

Directions for Fig Cookie

1. Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Gradually add eggs and vanilla, beating very well until mixture is uniformly smooth and velvety.
2. If using nuts, combine with flour in workbowl of food processor, fitted with the metal blade. Run until nuts are well ground and mixture is even. Measure total contents to 2 1/2 cups.
3. Combine nut/flour mixture with salt and baking powder and add to egg mixture. Combine thoroughly.
4. Knead a few times and turn out in quarters onto plastic wrap. Form each quarter into a flat rectangle, wrap tightly, and chill at least thirty minutes. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the first piece of dough out to about 5×9 inches. Spread one quarter of the fig filling evenly in a lengthwise strip down the center of the dough, keeping it piled up a bit in the center. Brush all exposed surfaces of the dough lightly with water.
6. Fold the dough around the filling: fold the long top edge toward you to cover at least half of the filling, then fold the bottom edge up over the rest of the filling, overlapping the top edge a little and completely encasing the filling. Place roll seam side down on a lined baking sheet. Pinch the ends together to completely enclose the filling. Repeat the process with the remaining three pieces of dough, putting two cookie rolls on a baking sheet.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the dough is coloured a deep golden brown. Remove the cookie rolls from the oven and cool for at least 15 minutes. Slice.

Are these cute or what? I made 2 batches last week – one using confectioner’s sugar and one using granulated sugar. The confectioner-batch made for a more buttery, crumbly texture – like REAL shortbread. The granulated-batch came out more cookie-like. The bf liked the cookie texture, while I preferred the shortbread.

I liked these because they weren’t sweet, due to the green tea powder. I also managed to get my hands on leaf-shaped cookie cutters and the cookies came out so great! I also decorated the leaves using a sharp knife to make little designs. They looked quite professional, if I do say so myself.

I also made a batch of lemon shortbread, which came out really good too. I mixed in lemon juice, lemon extract, and grated lemon zest. Topped each cookie with a glaze I made with lemon juice, confectioner’s sugar, and heavy cream. Yum!

I love you, Giada. Even though your huge head is always making this face:

But your show is delightful to watch.

Here’s an easy twist on a classic cookie that I saw this past week on Everyday Italian – just add Nutella!

Side note – “biscotti” is just “cookie” in Italian. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s hard and crunchy and that you have to have it with coffee. You so smart, Giada! And I like how you pronounce it “beez – koh – tee.”

Chocolate Hazlenut Biscotti.

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chocolate hazelnut spread (recommended: Nutella)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In another medium bowl combine the butter, chocolate hazelnut spread, sugar, and brown sugar. Using an electric mixer, cream the ingredients together, about 4 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, stir in the flour mixture until just combined. Add the hazelnuts and stir until just combined.
4. Using a tablespoon measure, spoon out the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, spacing the mounds about 4 inches apart. Use the tines of a fork to flatten the cookie dough. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes. Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let cool. Makes 3 dozen.