Merry Christmas ~ Fig Cuccidate Recipe

I just finished a most festive and traditional Christmas cookie and would love to offer these instructions as a Christmas gift to my friends...Sicilian Fig Cookies

Filling (Make 1 recipe of the filling):
2 cups dried figs, cut the hard stem tips off first
1 1/2 cups pitted dates, I use the fat and juicy Medjool dates
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup toasted almonds, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted, lightly chopped
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brandy
1 tsp. each orange and lemon zest
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves

Filling Instructions:
I used my food processor to finely chop my ingredients, then into a mixer bowl to finish off the filling. Cover and place in refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.

Dough (Make 2 recipes of this dough to have enough for filling):
4 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 sticks room temp. butter
1 egg
1/2 cup milk, or egg nog
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Dough Instructions:
Whisk the dry ingredients in large bowl. Add the butter and cut this into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse meal. ( pictures included) Add the egg, milk and vanilla and using hands mix to form soft dough. Turn out onto floured surface and knead a few times. Divide into 4 equal pieces and wrap with plastic. Place into refrigerator to chill before rolling out.

Follow instructions for rolling out shown in photos below:

The Figgy Filling!

Add the butter and cut into dry mixture

Should look like meal when cut in

Add the egg, milk or egg nog and vanilla

Take one piece of dough, flatten on floured surface and roll out into a rectangle which measures 12 inches long and 3 inches wide.
Cut this into 3 equal pieces each 4 by 3inches.
Place about 2 to 3 spoons of filling in center of rectangle as shown in picture above.

Roll up each side to meet at center and pinch to seal dough roll.

Turn over the seam to be on bottom, and cut into 4 pieces.

Place the 12 pieces on cookie sheet as shown above and bake at 350 for about 10 to 12 minutes. Until just golden. Remove and place on rack to cool.

Around these parts...we frost with a nice powdered sugar, egg nog, and colored sprinkles on top.
This recipe makes lots of cookies, I didn't count them yet. Wanted to get this on the blog in time for a Merry Christmas! Love and God bless you all, this season, and in the year ahead!
Peace!