Yield: Approx. 40 Cookies

When I was a little girl we used to go and visit my Grandma several times a year during school holidays. Grams, as we affectionately called her, had the most amazing garden. There was always something in bloom, the most amazing strawberries and apricots you have ever tasted and best of all a fig tree!

Grams could always tell when I came to visit as the fruit off the fig tree would mysteriously vanish in a matter of hours. I loved my Grams and miss her every day, but every time I see, eat or bake with figs it reminds me of her and the wonderful times we had together.

These cookies are lovely and soft with the combined flavours of honey and figs balancing out beautifully. I am not one who likes honey all that much but it doesn’t overpower the other flavours in the cookie. Feel free to adjust the spices in the fig mixture to suit your own personal tastes, maybe try cardamom or black pepper if you want something slightly spicier.

NOTE: The figs I had were very dry, should you be using soft figs please only use ½ cup of water when making the fig compote.

TIME:

• 30 mins Preparation + overnight for unsalted butter and cream cheese
• 2 hours Chilling
• 4 hours Freezing
• 15 mins Baking per Cookie Sheet

 

 EQUIPMENT:

• Mixmaster w/ Paddle Beater Attachment
• Stick Blender
• Cookie Sheets w/ Silpat Mats (or Baking Paper)
• Kitchen Scales
• Measuring Spoons / Measuring Cup
• Mixing Bowl
• Small Saucepan
• Wooden Spoon
• Spatula / Rubber Scraper
• Rolling Pin
• Wire Rack
• Sharp Knife
• Glad Wrap
• Baking Paper

 

INGREDIENTS – Dough:

Ingredient	Note	Weight (Metric)	Weight (Imp.)	Volume
Unsalted Butter	At Room Temperature	125g	4.4oz	½ cup
Full Fat Cream Cheese	At Room Temperature	125g	4.4oz	½ cup
Caster Sugar	Also known as Superfine Sugar	100g	3.4oz	½ cup
Honey				2 tbsp
Vanilla Extract				1 tsp
Egg Yolk				1
Plain Flour	Also known as All Purpose Flour	140g	4.9oz	1¾ cup
Baking Powder				½ tsp
Salt				¼ tsp

 

INGREDIENTS – Filling:

Ingredient	Note	Weight (Metric)	Weight (Imp.)	Volume
Figs	Dried	250g	8.8oz	1⅔ cup
Caster Sugar	Also known as Superfine Sugar	50g	1.7oz	¼ cup
Honey				2 tbsp
Cinnamon				1 tsp
Nutmeg				1 tsp
Ginger				½ tsp
Ground Cloves				¼ tsp
Water		125ml	4.2 fl oz	½ cup

 

INGREDIENTS – Topping:

Ingredient	Note	Weight (Metric)	Weight (Imp.)	Volume
Raw Sugar		100g	3.4oz	½ cup

 

METHOD – Dough:

1. Put the unsalted butter, cream cheese and sugar into the bowl of the mixer and beat on medium speed until creamy – approx 2 minutes
   • Scrap down the bowl down to ensure everything is mixed
2. Add the honey, vanilla extract, egg yolk and salt and best on medium speed for another minute
   • Scrap down the bowl down to ensure everything is mixed
3. Add the flour and baking powder and mix on low speed until just combined
   • Scrap down the bowl down to ensure everything is mixed
4. Split the dough into two balls, shape into rectangles, wrap in glad wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours

METHOD – Filling:

1. Put all the ingredients into a small saucepan and set over a low heat to simmer
2. Simmer, stirring occasionally until the mixture becomes very thick and has the consistency of jam
3. Remove from heat and leave to cool
4. Once cool, use the stick blender to blitz the mixture so everything becomes smooth

METHOD – Assembly:

1. Roll the first piece of dough between 2 sheets of baking paper until you create a 30cm x 20cm rectangle – approx 3mm thick
2. Remove the top sheet of baking paper and then spread half the fig mixture onto the dough, leaving a 1cm gap from the edge of the dough
3. Starting from the long side, carefully roll the dough up using the bottom piece of baking paper until you form a log.
4. Roll the log in raw sugar until evenly coated
5. Wrap the log in the baking paper and freeze for a minimum of 4 hours
6. Repeat steps 3 to 7 with the second piece of dough
7. Once the log’s are fairly solid, remove from freezer
8. Pre-heat oven to 180°C / 350°F
9. Line the cookie sheets with silpat mats or baking paper
10. Slice the cookie logs into 1cm slices, placing on the cookie sheet with a 2cm gap to allow for slight spreading
11. Bake each cookie sheet for 15mins or until golden
12. Remove from oven and let rest for 10mins before moving cookies onto the wire rack to cool completely

The cookies will keep in an air tight container in a cool place for about a week