Fig Newtons
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 6 - 8 Fresh Ripe Figs (1 Pint)
  • 2 Cups Sugar (Turbinado, if you have it)
  • ⅛ Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 Cup Water
  • 1 Stick of Butter at Room Temperature
  • ⅓ Cup Sugar
  • 1½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • ¼ Teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ¼ Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 Tablespoons Orange Juice
Instructions
  1. Trim the stem area off of each fruit and wash well. Place all of the figs in an 8" sauce pan; add 2 cups of sugar, the cinnamon and water and stir a bit. Bring to a medium simmer and cook uncovered for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. Don't allow them to cook dry by adding a little water if needed. Drain all liquid away from the figs using a strainer. Remove the figs to a bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork; set aside and allow to cool completely.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth using a beater. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients. Use your dough hook to mix the ingredients until a soft dough comes together and follows the hook around the bowl. It will help in this process to scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
  3. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface. Sprinkle a little flour on top and turn over to evenly coat the dough. Pat and roll out into an 8" x 14" rectangle about ¼ inch thick. Cut the rectangle in half vertically.
  4. Next, it's time to spread the figs, but first, are they of a good consistency for the task? If too wet (we want a spreadable paste, not drippy), add flour a teaspoon at a time and mix. If too gooey, add a teaspoon of water at a time a stir.
  5. Spoon ½ of the figs in an even line down the middle of each rectangle. Make sure the dough is not stuck to the work surface by pushing a thin spatula underneath to loosen. Fold the dough over the figs lengthwise and press the two edges together to seal. Cross-cut each log in the middle to create 4 of similar size. Use the spatula to help move each log, one at a time, to a baking sheet; rotate to place the pinched seam down. Bake in your preheated oven on a middle rack for about 25 minutes or until the logs just begin to show minor browning. Remove from oven.
  6. Allow to cool 5 minutes. Using a knife with a sharp serrated edge, carefully, and with light pressure, "saw" the logs into cookie-sized pieces, about 1 generous inch wide (I used a steak knife).
  7. Carefully place the still hot cookies into a 1 gallon zipper plastic bag and seal. This step steams the cookies re-moistening the crust so that it will be soft like the original. You will see moisture in the bag ... good! When completely cool, the moisture will dissipate and your Newtons will be ready for prime time!
Recipe by C o o k L i v e L e a r n at http://cooklivelearn.com/?p=1257