Fig And Almond Streusel Biscuits Food

FIG-AND-ALMOND STREUSEL BISCUITS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees and position a rack in the top third of the oven. Divide the biscuit dough into 2 balls and refrigerate.
• For the streusel, mix the flour, almonds and sugar in a bowl. Use a pastry cutter to work the almond paste into the dry ingredients.
• Place the butter and figs in a pan over low heat. Cook until the butter is melted and the figs soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into the dry ingredients, add the cinnamon and the salt and mix well with a fork.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Roll each ball of dough out into a circle about 1/3-inch thick. Sprinkle the streusel mixture over one circle of the dough. Place the second circle of dough on top and lightly press the circles together.
• With a rolling pin, gently roll the dough to 1/2-inch thick. Using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter or glass, cut out the biscuits and put them on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

FIG AND ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan or pie pan; set aside. Put almonds and 1/4 cup sugar in a food processor and grind to a coarse powder. Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt; pulse to combine.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, melted butter, honey and almond extract. Add almond mixture and beat for a minute until batter is just mixed. Pour batter into pan.
• Remove stem from each fig and cut in half. Arrange fig halves cut-side up over the batter. Sprinkle figs with sugar and bake for 30 minutes, until golden outside and dry at center when probed with a cake tester. Cool before serving.

ALMOND STREUSEL ROLLS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Punch dough down; roll out to a 15x10-in. rectangle. In a large bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth. Spread over dough. , Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; seal seams. Cut into 12 slices. Place cut side down in a greased 12-in. cast-iron skillet or 13x9-in. baking pan. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°. , Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over rolls. Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, extract and enough milk to achieve drizzling consistency; drizzle over rolls.

FIG & ALMOND COOKIES

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk eggs, cold water and vanilla until blended. Place flour, confectioners' sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor; pulse until blended. Add butter; pulse until crumbly. While pulsing, add egg mixture just until combined., Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; cover. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm enough to roll., Wipe food processor clean. Add figs and almonds; pulse until chopped. Add preserves and juice; pulse until combined., Preheat oven to 350°. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion of dough into a 10x8-in. rectangle; cut each lengthwise into four 2-in.-wide strips., Spread about 2 tablespoons filling down center of each strip. Fold dough over filling; pinch edges to seal. Roll each gently to shape into a log; cut crosswise into 1-in. pieces., Place 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until light brown, 10-12 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, mix glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cookies. Let stand until set.

HONEY ROASTED FIG & ALMOND TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a shallow loose-bottomed 25cm flan tin. Make sure the pastry comes above the rim - it may shrink in baking and the filling could spill. Chill for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the figs in half lengthways and sit them cut side up on a roasting tray. Mix the orange juice and honey in a bowl, pour over the figs and roast for 10-12 minutes until just soft. Drain off any juice into a saucepan and reserve.
• Prick the base of the chilled pastry case all over with a fork, then line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5-10 minutes until the pastry is golden. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to fan 130C/conventional 150C/ gas 2. Leave the pastry case to cool slightly before filling.
• Cream butter and sugar in a food processor or with an electric beater until smooth and pale. Tip in the ground almonds and zest and whizz briefly to combine. Add egg yolks and 1 tbsp of the reserved fig juice and whizz again until smooth. Spread evenly over the pastry case.
• Gently press the figs cut side up into the almond mixture. Bake for 11⁄4 hours or until it's golden all over (don't worry if the centre still seems soft - a little gooeyness is good). Leave in the tin for 15 minutes, then remove sides and transfer on its base to a wire rack to cool.
• Before serving, take the tart off its base and transfer to a flat platter or board. If you have juice left from roasting the figs, bring it to the boil and simmer for 1-2 minutes until sticky and syrupy. Brush this over the figs and serve as soon as possible, while the syrup is still glossy on the figs (it will start to seep through into the filling if you leave it too long).