Italian Fig Cookies Cuccidati Food

FIG-STUFFED COOKIES: CUCCIDATI ITALIAN

Steps:

• Make the Filling: In a bowl, combine the figs with 4 tablespoons of brandy and let soak overnight or up to 4 weeks.
• In a food processor, combine the soaked figs, the remaining 2 tablespoons brandy, and all the remaining filling ingredients. Process until chopped and well combined. (Alternatively, run all the ingredients through a meat grinder. Some Italian women bring their filling ingredients to the butcher and have him grind it for them.) Keep chilled until ready to use.
• Make the Pastry: In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse until it looks like fine crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk together the 2 eggs and milk. While the motor in running, pour the liquid through the feed tube until just combined and a dough is formed. Form the dough into a disk and chill 30 minutes.
• On a floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick. With a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut out large (3-inch long) almond shaped pieces from the dough. Transfer the pieces to a sheet pan; then chill.
• To form the cookies, have ready the filling, the chilled dough pieces, the egg wash with a pastry brush, and a sharp knife. Paint the edges of the dough pieces with egg wash and place 1 teaspoon of filling shaped into an oval in the center of half the pieces. Top each with a second piece of dough and carefully pinch the edges together to seal. Trim the excess dough from around the edges.
• Make each dough package look like a bird or fish, by shaping and cutting decorative lines. You can split 1 end to look like a tail, carve rows of lines to look like feathers or fins, cut a curved line for the gills or beak opening, and a hole for the eye. (There are many different shapes they're made into, such as wreaths, slippers, and crescents.) Re-chill the cookies
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the cookies with the egg wash. Bake the cookies until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile make the Icing: In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients.
• Toss the cookies with the icing while they're still hot and sprinkle with the colored sprinkles, or leave them plain. The icing makes the cookies look like porcelain when they're done.

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.

CUCCIDATI - ITALIAN FIG COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl of food processor add all dry ingredients: sifted flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cold butter cut in cubes. Process until you get a crumbly dough without big lumps.
• Add eggs and vanilla extract. Process again until dough starts to come together.
• The whole process can be done with dough blender which is really handy.
• Transfer the dough onto a work surface and shape it quickly with your hands forming a smooth ball. Add some milk if the dough doesn't come together.
• Cover with a plastic wrap and let rest in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
• You can also make the dough the night before and keep it in the fridge. Make sure to take it out at least 2 hours before making cooking, otherwise it'll be too hard to roll.
• Steep dried figs in hot water for about 30 minutes. Take them out on a paper towel or linen towel and pat-dry to remove excess liquid.
• In a food processor add figs, candied fruit and Marsala wine. Process until you get a nice paste.
• In a food processor pulse nuts and dark chocolate. Or you can roughly chop them with a sharp knife. Set aside.
• In a big bowl mix together fig paste, chopped nuts with chocolate, raisins and cinnamon.
• Preheat oven to 350F (175C).
• Cut off a piece of the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface to approx. ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Cut out a rectangular shape and save trimmed edges.
• Place fig filling lengthwise closer to one edge of the rectangle and fold the dough over to the other side brushing with some water the very end of the dough before closing it. This helps to seal the seam.
• Place formed log seam side down and using a pastry cutter or a sharp floured knife cut it into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cookies.
• Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet line with parchment paper or a silicone mat about ½ inch apart from each other.
• Bake in preheated to 350F (175C) oven for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden brown around the edges.
• Let cool.
• Repeat with the remaining dough (including trimmed dough leftovers) and fig filling.
• Beat egg white until foamy, add a pinch of salt and lemon juice.
• Continue to beat, slowly adding confectioners sugar. Increase speed to high and beat for another few minutes until soft peaks form.
• Once cookies are chilled to room temperature, dip them in the icing and top with color sprinkles.
• Let dry for a few hours before packing.
• If it's too cold or humid inside you can turn on the oven and heat to 85F (30C) and let your cookies dry in the oven for 20-60 minutes, checking on them occasionally.

ITALIAN FIG COOKIES

Steps:

• To make the filling, in a food processor, combine the figs, dates and raisins and process to finely chop. Place the mixture in a medium bowl, add remaining filling ingredients and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
• To make the dough, in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine. Add the butter and blend with your fingertips until most of mixture resembles coarse meal.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg, milk and vanilla together. Add to the dry mixture and stir to make a rough dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, cover, and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface, one at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch square. Cut the dough into 4 by 3-inch rectangles. Spoon 2 tablespoons of filling down the center of each rectangle. Fold the long sides of each rectangle inward to the center to enclose the filling; pinch the edges to seal. Turn the cookies seam-sides down and press gently to flatten the seams. With a floured knife, cut the logs crosswise into 1 1/2-inch-wide slices and arrange 1/2-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Brush with egg wash and decorate with colored sprinkles. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer to wire racks to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ITALIAN FIG COOKIES (CUCCIDATI)

Steps:

• Prepare filling: Working in two batches with ½ of the figs and ½ of the dates at a time, pulse dried fruit in a food processor until finely chopped; transfer to a bowl.
• Use a vegetable peeler to peel orange zest into the empty food processer. Juice the orange until you have 3 tablespoons juice; add it to the food processor. Add raisins, pecans, honey, brandy, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg and process until finely mixed.
• Add fig-date mixture and process until well combined, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to reach a thick consistency. Refrigerate filling for 8 hours to overnight.
• Prepare dough: Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor and process for 5 seconds to combine. Add butter and shortening and pulse until crumbly. Add milk, egg, vanilla, and almond extract and process until a dough forms.
• Turn dough onto a well-floured surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Turn dough onto a floured surface and cut into 4 pieces. Roll one piece into a 4x12-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Trim off any excess to form straight edges and save to make more cookies.
• Place about ¼ of the filling in a 1-inch log shape down the rectangle, just to the right of the center line. Dampen the edges of the dough with water and fold the right edge over the filling. Continue rolling the dough toward the left edge, then rock back and forth gently to stretch and seal the edges. Cut the log into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Make 2 or 3 slits in the top of each cookie to allow steam to escape. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden on the bottom and cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Repeat to form, cut, and bake remaining cookies.
• Prepare icing by whisking powdered sugar and milk together in a bowl until smooth. Divide icing into thirds in 3 small bowls. Color one bowl with red food coloring to make pink icing, color another bowl with green food coloring to make green icing, and leave the remaining icing white.
• Dip each cookie into a different color icing and allow excess to drip off. Place iced cookies on parchment paper and decorate lightly with sprinkles. Allow to dry for at least 20 minutes before serving.

ITALIAN FIG COOKIES

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Pulse figs and raisins in a food processor until finely chopped, then stir together with remaining filling ingredients in a bowl. Chill, covered, at least 8 hours.
• Make dough:
• Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add butter and blend with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Add eggs, milk, vanilla, and zest and stir with a fork until a soft dough forms. Halve dough and gather each half into a ball, then flatten each half into a rough 6- by 4-inch rectangle between sheets of plastic wrap. Chill until firm, at least 8 hours.
• Form cookies:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out 1 rectangle of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) into a 15- by 14-inch rectangle on a well-floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Trim to a 13- by 10-inch rectangle (chill trimmings), then cut into 4 (10- by 3 1/4-inch) strips. Arrange 1/3 cup filling in a 1-inch-wide log lengthwise down center of each strip, then fold sides of each strip up over filling to enclose it, pinching edges together to seal. Turn rolls seam-sides down and press gently to flatten seams. Cut logs crosswise with a floured knife into 1 1/2-inch-wide slices and arrange 1/2 inch apart on buttered large baking sheets. Make more cookies in same manner with remaining chilled dough, trimmings (reroll once), and filling.
• Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until golden around edges, 16 to 20 minutes. Transfer cookies to racks and cool until warm, about 10 minutes.
• Make icing while first batch of cookies bake:
• Whisk together confectioners sugar, vanilla, and enough orange juice to make a pourable icing.
• Brush icing on warm cookies and decorate with nonpareils (if using), then cool completely.
• Available at some specialty bakeware shops and Sweet Celebrations (800-328-6722).

CUCCIDATI (SICILIAN FIG COOKIES)

Steps:

• Directions:.
• Place the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Run the blade a few times to mix.
• Add the butter to the bowl and pulse to combine. Add the eggs, and run the blade until forming a consistent dough.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and wrap in a plastic foil. Place in the refrigerator.
• In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the figs, raisins, candied orange, almonds, chocolate, apricot preserve, rum, cinnamon, and cloves. Pulse the blade until a smooth compound is obtained.
• Transfer the fig paste to a bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
• Prepare the egg wash by beating the eggs with a pinch of salt.
• Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and unwrap it on a floured work surface. Add a small quantity of flour. Knead the dough to make it soft and smooth.
• Cut the dough into 10 - 12 pieces. With the help of a rolling pin, flatten each piece into a rectangle approximately 3 x 15 inch (7 x 35 cm).
• Brush the egg wash on the dough.
• Place approximately 1/3 cup of filling in the center of the rectangle lengthwise.
• Take one edge of the dough and bring it over the filling to form a roll.
• With the palm of your hands roll the cylinder to make it even.
• Cut the roll into 4-5 pieces approximately 3 - 4 inch (8 - 10 cm) long. Set them aside. Continue forming the rolls until all the dough and the filling are used.
• Using a sharp knife, cut 4 - 5 diagonal incisions on the surface of the rolls. You can also cut straight incisions on the surface of the rolls, and curve the cookies in a "U" shape.
• Transfer the rolls to 3 cookie pans lined with parchment paper.
• Brush the surface with the remaining egg wash.
• Optionally sprinkle with multicolored nonpareil.
• Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Transfer onto racks to cool.

ITALIAN FIG COOKIES I

Steps:

• To Make Dough: Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt. Blend in flour and baking powder by hand. Knead dough until smooth and workable. Add milk to reach workable consistency. (This takes a while and you will get a workout, but you'll know when it's right.)
• To Make Filling: Cut up figs, orange, and apple into small pieces. (It is easier to grind this way). Grind figs, raisins, orange, and apple. If the mixture is too dry or thick, mix in up to 1 cup of water, if desired. (I do not use the water, the juice from the apple and orange are enough). The spices and chopped nuts are added to the ground fig mixture. After the fig mixture is ground, I sprinkle them in over the mixture and mix (knead) it in by hand. STICKY! But good.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Roll out some dough. (should be kind of thin). Put fig mixture in a line. Wrap dough over mixture, sealing figs inside dough. Trim to desired length, using a diagonal cut. Make small diagonal slits in the sides of the cookies. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes. (Dough makes good cookies without the filling also). Wonderful with coffee.