Cuccidati Recipe- Sicilian Fig Cookies

Fig filled Italian cookies with icing and nonpareils on tiered plate.

Cuccidati Recipe- Sicilian Fig Cookies

A classic Sicilian Christmas cookie, cuccidati are filled with a combination of figs, almonds, orange marmalade, chocolate, cinnamon.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Sicilian-Italian

Keyword Italian fig filled cookies

Prep Time 1 30

Cook Time 20

Resting time 30

Servings cookies

Calories 130kcal

Author Nadia Fazio

Ingredients

For the fig filling

1 cup dried figs 150 grams
⅓ cup raisins
¾ cup almonds roasted
⅓ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup dark chocolate chips or baker's chocolate
1 orange, zest of
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp Marsala wine
2 tbsp honey

For the dough

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter cold, cubed
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
2 large eggs
1-2 tbsp milk

For decorating

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
nonpareils (colored sprinkles) for sprinkling on top

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the filling

Soak the dried figs and raisins in a bowl with boiled water. Let sit for 30 minutes. During this time, you may prepare the dough.
Drain the figs and raisins well. Cut off the stems from the figs. To help break down the figs, cut them into quarters before adding them, along with the raisins, to the bowl of your food processor. Process until they are finely chopped.
Add the remaining ingredients and process until you have a thick jam-like mixture.
At this point, taste and adjust (if needed) according to your taste. Add more honey for a sweeter filling, more cinnamon if you wish this flavor to be more pronounced, more chocolate etc.
Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until you are ready to assemble the cookies.

Prepare the dough

In the bowl of your food processor combine the flour; sugar; baking powder and salt.
Add the cold butter (cut into cubes) and pulse until it is fully incorporated in the flour.
Stir in the eggs and process to incorporate them.
With the motor running on slow speed, add milk, 1 tablespoon at a time (as needed) until a rough dough takes shape. The dough will wrap itself around the blade.
Scrape it onto your counter and knead it to shape into a smooth disc. Wrap well and refrigerate for one hour.

To assemble

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Divide the dough in half. Keep the unused portion well wrapped. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough into roughly a 18 inch X 5 inch rectangle. A bench scraper may be useful for this step.
To facilitate this task, you may also opt to roll out the dough between two sheets of lightly floured parchment paper.
Take half the fig filling and roll it into a log long enough to fit the length of the dough. The mixture will be sticky, but can be rolled.
Place the log on the dough and wrap the dough around it, seam side down. Cut into one inch pieces and place on the prepared baking sheets.
Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bake for 20-23 minutes until the cookies are golden brown underneath. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before icing.

To decorate

In a small bowl whisk together powdered sugar and freshly squeezed orange juice until smooth. Dip the top of each cookie in the bowl and allow the excess to drip off. Alternately, ice each cookie with a pastry brush.
Sprinkle each cookie with nonpareils. Top with sprinkles as you glaze the cookies otherwise they will not stick as the icing sets.
Place on a wire rack or parchment covered baking sheet until completely hardened before storing, about one hour.

Notes

Substitutions and Variations

-Dates: replace half the dried figs with dried dates.
-Nuts: use a combination of almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts or just one type of your choice. Be sure to roast the nuts for the best flavor.
-Replace orange marmalde with apricot jam.
-Replace orange zest and orange juice (for the icing) with lemon zest and juice.
-Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the filling.
-Add a dash of cloves to the filling.
-Vegetable shortening may be used in place of butter.
-For a quicker dough recipe, try the oil based shortcrust dough in this cookie recipe. I did test it out and it works well!
-This recipe may be doubled.

Tips on handling the dough:

-The dough is slightly tacky, this is normal.
-If it is crumbly when you are trying to roll it, shape back into a disc and refrigerate for 15 minutes longer.

-Flour your work surface when rolling the dough.

-For easy rolling, roll between 2 sheets of lightly floured parchment paper.

-Use a bench scraper if the dough sticks to your work surface.

Can they be prepared ahead?

-Prepare the filling and refrigerate up to 3 days ahead.
-Prepare the dough and refrigerate for up to 3 days ahead. Remove the dough from the fridge about an hour before rolling.

Can these cookies be made without a food processor?

-For the dough: combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with your fingers or pastry cutter. Stir in the eggs and milk, 1 tbsp. at a time until a soft dough is formed. Proceed as outlined in the recipe.
-Use a knife to finely chop all filling ingredients: figs; raisins; almonds; chocolate; etc.

Storage

-Store cookies in a well sealed container at room temperature for up to one week.

Can they be frozen?

-Freeze cookies in a well sealed container separating layers of cookies with wax paper or parchment paper for up to 3 months.

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