Has A Fig Newton Ever Made You Cry?

These might. They are SO good. When I mentioned I was making fig newtons, several newton doubters around here rolled their eyes and were less than enthusiastic. After one taste they were proclaiming these to be their new favorite cookies. I think they might be right.

Here's the recipe:

Dough:

• 1 cup plus 1½ Tb of butter softened
• 3/4 cups of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3½ cups of flour

Fig Filling:

• 1 container of figs, 268 grams
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• grated zest of one orange

1. Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of your mixer and beat until fluffy. Beat in the egg and the egg yolk. Add the salt and beat a bit longer.
2. Using the paddle attachment on your mixer, blend in the flour bit by bit until blended. Do not over mix.
3. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours.
4. Cut the tough ends off of the figs and cut the figs into quarters. Place them in a food processor and pulse until uniformly course.
5. Place the figs in a pot and add all the filling ingredients. Cook over medium heat stirring until it thickens and the liquid is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

Put the sugar in the bowl.
Add the butter.
Beat until fluffy.
Add the egg and the egg yolk. Blend in the salt.
Slowly add the flour a bit at a time until incorporated. Do not over beat.
Dump the dough out on some plastic wrap. Shape it into a disk and wrap and refrigerate it.
Add all the filling ingredients into a pot.
Cook until thickened and set aside to cool.
When it is time to make the cookies, split the dough in half and roll it into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.
It might take a bit of cutting and fitting to get it even on the edges. I rolled it out on plastic because it makes it easier to flip over the filling.


Place filling down the center of the dough. Wet one edge of the dough with water. Fold one side over the filling. Fold the wet edged side over that piece of dough. Gently press the wet edge down.


Place these seam side down on parchment covered cookie sheets and refrigerate for about 1/2 hour.

Just before baking brush them with an egg wash.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. The edges will just be turning golden.


Let them cool for about 10 minutes after removing them from the oven.


Gently slice them with a serrated knife cleaning the knife on a wet paper towel between each slice.


Lightly dust with powdered sugar.

These are excellent as soon as they are finished. They will soften a bit after a day or two and the crust will become a bit softer and cake-like.

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on how wide you slice them. I doubled the above recipe which was not a good idea. My mixer could not handle that much heavy dough. Next time I will make them in separate batches.