Modern Cuccidati Cookies and A Versatile Filling

Cuccidati are often shaped into wreaths, here are some of them browning in my oven.

This is the recipe that when I get published in Better Homes and Gardens for a Christmas cookie recipe I believe it will be for this (I mentioned this to one person as a dream of mine) I make an extra large batch of filling and use the remainder for energy bars. 

It started out with loving my Aunt Joan’s cookies so much I wanted to eat a batch all by myself that was followed by a bit of research on timing the filling soaking in brandy. How long do you REALLY need to soak the dried fruit? Can I eat these tomorrow if I want? Then in the untraditional way I take apart many family favorites I used what I had and it work.

Equipment Used: food processor, rolling pin, baking sheets, parchment paper, optional meat grinder.

Filling

26 oz figs

1 1/4 cups of brandy

20 oz honey (check out Franks Honey)

8oz pitted chopped medjool dates

8oz dried bing cherries chopped

2 cups toasted pine nuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

2-4 pinches of clove-however you feel 

2 lemon rinds(remove any white pith)

2 orange rinds (remove any white pith)

Pastry:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs (1 whisked with a tablespoon of water to make an egg wash)

1/4 cup whole milk

Directions: 

Filling:

Making the filling by combining the figs, pitted dates, bing cherries, lemon rind, orange rind, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a large bowl to soak in a cup of brandy. 

Allow for the ingredients to soak in the brandy from overnight to four weeks in then refrigerator. I always aim for four weeks myself. 

After the four weeks I finish the filling with toasted pignoli nuts(pine nuts)

How to toast pignoli nuts(pine nuts)

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Spread pine nuts in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.

Bake for 5-10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown.

Transfer to a plate to stop the hot pan from continuing to cook them.

In a food processor combine the sugar, baking powder, and salt, then pulse to mix. Add the butter and continue to pulse until it looks like fine crumbs.

In a small bowl whisk together 2 eggs and milk then pour the liquid through the feed tube until all ingredients are combined and dough is formed. Then remove the dough from the food processor so it can chill in the refrigerator for thirty minutes.

After the 30 minutes I roll the dough roughly 1/8 inch thick and make wreath shapes with the dough

Bush cookies with egg wash

Bake cookies for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

As the cookies come out of the oven and you put them on a cooling sheet or a plate cover them

in confectionary sugar icing, add a teaspoon of vanilla before you add the water to ensure the

right consistency.

Sprinkle nonpareils and enjoy!!!

—

MS.

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