Ypsi Cooks

A few weeks ago I read a blog post about not really liking fig newtons as a kid, along with the recipe for a homemade version that is decidedly worth a try. Many commenters posted, sharing similar feelings about fig newtons. I on the other hand devoured newtons as a child. So, with a container of figs languishing in my dried fruit drawer, I knew had to make it. And am I ever glad I did. The cookie part itself was very good, and the with the fig filling, delicious.

The recipe originates from a gluten free cookbook and a version of it can be found here on Heidi's site 101cookbooks.com. I got the recipe from Julie at dinnerwithjulie and she adds the fresh ginger, which she lists as optional, and I think is absolutely mandatory if you like ginger at all. The ginger cookie-cake with the citrusy fig filling is a wonderful pair.

Eli and I enjoyed them with tea made from lemon thyme we had trimmed off the bush earlier that day.

You may have noticed that I am not the best food (or anything) photographer. Eli might be taking over. Here's a shot he set up and took after I took the one above. For the recipe, click “read more.”

Not bad for a 3-year-old with a camera where you can't control the flash.You don't need to use almond meal (especially if you're the mom of a kid with a nut allergy but didn't know it until your kid snuck a piece of PB & J from my kid… that was not such a good day), but I wouldn't recommend using all white whole wheat flour. I find you have to use something with low/no gluten (oat flour, other grains & legumes) with the white whole wheat and you could certainly use all all-purpose flour.

Also, you could easily soak the figs one day, prepare the dough the next and assemble the third day.

I found it easier to roll the dough with an open cereal beg (you could use wax paper) on top.

Fig Slab Cookies(adapted from dinnerwithjulie from 101cookbooks from GlutenFreeGirl [the cookbook, not the website])

Fig Filling:
1/2 lb. (one 250g package) dried figs or apricots
Juice of 1/2 a lemon plus enough
orange juice to equal 1 cup

Finely chop the figs (removing the tough stems) and put them into a small saucepan with the orange juice . Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until it turns into a soft sort of jam. The texture will depend on the dryness of the figs – add more juice or water if need be. If the mixture seems too chunky, puree it in the food processor once it has softened. (It’s tough to chop dried figs in the food processor alone – they tend to be too thick and sticky.) Alternatively, just soak chop the figs and overnight or a few days then puree in a processor.

Dough:
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. molasses
2 tsp. grated fresh ginger (optional, but it's SO good with it. 1/4-1/2 tsp of ginger powder might suffice)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup almond meal
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until well blended and the mixture has the texture of wet sand. Beat in the egg, molasses, ginger (if using) and vanilla. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, almond meal, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to the wet ingredients and stir with a spatula just until the dough comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Cut the dough in half and roll one piece out into a rectangle about the size of your cookie sheet – this is easy to do on a piece of parchment or a Silpat baking mat, which can then be slid right onto the baking sheet. Spread the dough with the fig filling. Roll the second piece of dough out to the same size on a piece of waxed paper, or better yet, an opened cereal bag; lay it over the fig filling, and press it gently to seal the two together a bit. I usually roll the whole thing gently with a rolling pin, being careful that the filling doesn’t spill out the sides.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until set and beginning to brown (I'd say better a little over done than under on this one: the slightly crispy bits were my favorite). Cool for about 10 minutes, then trim the edges and cut the slab into squares or rectangles with a knife, pizza wheel or pastry cutter.

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies, with plenty of edge scraps that are very tasty too.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 4th, 2010 at 1:22 pm and is filed under Things we Made. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.