Keep the filling dense and the shell closed underneath. A little icing is enough: wait until the cookies are fully cool before decorating. Use pasteurised egg white suitable for uncooked icing and follow its label. Wheat, eggs, dairy and several nuts are present; check every ingredient label for your guests.
Make ahead Make the dough and filling the day before and refrigerate them separately, covered. The schedule allows about 12 hours chilling, an hour cooling and half an hour for the icing to set; these are planning estimates. Extra oven batches add time. Follow the pasteurised white’s storage instructions after decorating.
Cuccidati: Sicilian Fig Cookies
Total 15 hr 10 min · Prep 1 hr · Cook 40 min · Yield 48 cookies
Method
Heat the oven to 180°C. Toast the hazelnuts for about 10 minutes, then rub away loose skins in a clean towel. Toast the almonds and walnuts until fragrant, about 7–10 minutes. Cool the nuts.Heat the oven to 350°F. Toast the hazelnuts for about 10 minutes, then rub away loose skins in a clean towel. Toast the almonds and walnuts until fragrant, about 7–10 minutes. Cool the nuts.
If the figs are hard, cover them with hot water and check after 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Remove the stems and chop the fruit.
Pulse the nuts in a food processor, then add figs, raisins, citrus zest, marmalade, honey, Marsala and cinnamon. Stop at a dense, finely chopped paste with small nut pieces. Cover and refrigerate.
Beat the butter and caster sugar together. Add the whole eggs and yolk, then mix in flour, baking powder and salt just until combined. Wrap the dough and refrigerate it separately from the filling overnight, allowing about 12 hours.
Heat the oven to 180°C and line baking trays. Let a manageable piece of dough soften just enough to roll, keeping the rest cool. Roll it about 3 mm thick into a strip roughly 8 cm wide.Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking trays. Let a manageable piece of dough soften just enough to roll, keeping the rest cool. Roll it about 3 mm thick into a strip roughly 3¼ in wide.
Shape a narrow rope of filling along the strip. Fold the pastry around it, seal the long seam and turn the seam underneath. Keep the filling enclosed without stretching the shell thin.
Cut into pieces about 5 cm long. Make two shallow cuts along one long side and bend each cookie gently to open them. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.Cut into pieces about 2 in long. Make two shallow cuts along one long side and bend each cookie gently to open them. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Space the cookies on the lined trays. Bake for about 25–30 minutes, until the pastry is lightly golden. Cook further trays in batches as needed; transfer the baked cookies to a rack.
Cool completely before icing. Whisk the pasteurised egg white with the lemon juice, then gradually work in the sifted icing sugar until smooth and thick enough to drizzle.
Spoon a little glaze over each cool cookie and add the coloured sprinkles while it is wet. Leave until set before arranging in layers with baking paper between them.
Equipment
- Kitchen scale and measuring spoons
- Food processor and mixing bowls
- Rolling pin, knife and baking trays
- Baking paper and cooling rack
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