Recipe

Fig Tarts

Accompanying article: Figs

Makes about 2 dozen

I never could decide if my mother's round fig-filled cookies were most delicious when steamy hot from the oven or when cooled. Either way, there's something inimitable about the combination of tender cookie and moist fig filling.

1/2 cup organic unrefined sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Filling:

1 orange
1 cup chopped dried figs with stems removed
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves

To make the dough, cream the sugar and butter. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Add flours, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and mix until the dough is a uniform consistency. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or until it is very cold and firm. (To speed chilling process, place dough in the freezer for about 30 minutes.)

To make the filling, finely grate 1/2 teaspoon orange zest. Juice the orange. Combine zest, juice, figs, raisins, walnuts, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a small saucepan, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until most of the liquid is absorbed and the figs are softened. If the figs were extra dry, you may need to add additional juice or water. Allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 °F.

Roll the dough out (preferably between two sheets of waxed paper or upon a lightly floured surface) to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2 1/2-inch circles (for a see-through tart, use a doughnut cutter to cut 1/2 the circles that will be used on top). Place a scant tablespoon of filling onto half of the rounds. Cover each one with remaining rounds. Seal edges firmly by pressing with a fork. Place tarts on a buttered cookie sheet. Bake for 7 to 12 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to a rack to cool.

May you be well nourished,

Rebecca Wood