Recipe
Ingredients for dough:
·4 cups all-purpose flour
·1/2 cup granulated sugar
·1 teaspoon baking powder
·1 teaspoon kosher salt
·3/4 cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter cut in cubes, add gradually
·4 large eggs at room temperature
·1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Ingredients for filling:
·16 sun dried figs
·1/2 cup granulated sugar
·1 ½ cups water
·1/2 cup almonds
·1/3 cup orange zest
·1/3 cup raisins (light or dark)
·4 tablespoons apricot jam
·1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
·1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
·1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Method-
Use a food processor to mix the ingredients.
Dough:
Add together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
Gradually add cold butter, in cubes, while processing.
Add eggs, one at a time while processing.
Add the vanilla extract.
Continue processing until the dough comes together and forms a ball. The mixture will look coarse.
Remove mixture from the bowl, transfer onto a work surface and bring together with your hands. Shape into a ball and then cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Filling:
While the dough is cooling, prepare the filling. The filling can also be made the day before and refrigerated.
You will need 16 sun dried figs. Remove the stems and cut them in half. Place them in a medium-sized pot. Add sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until figs become soft.
Cool and then transfer into the food processor bowl, along with the sugar water. Process until smooth.
Add almonds and the remaining ingredients. Process into a thick and smooth paste, and then transfer inside another bowl.
After 1 hour, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap and transfer onto a lightly floured work surface.
Cut into 8 equal parts. Flatten each piece with fingers and then press down with a rolling pin. Sprinkle flour as needed.
Roll out the dough a little bigger than 8 inches long x 10 inches wide. It doesn’t matter if slightly longer or wider.
Remove rough edges with a knife and set aside to make more cookies later.
Cut the piece of dough into 4 equal parts. Each piece measures 4 inches long x 5 inches wide. The thickness of the dough should be about 1/8th of an inch thick.
You can make the cookies bigger or smaller, if you like. If you make them smaller, you will have more cookies, bigger will give you less.
Spread the filling with a spoon and then roll each cookie to close. Press gently with fingers and place the seam underneath. Seal both ends with a fork.
Using a sharp knife, cut 3 slits on one side of each cookie.
Place 1 inch apart on a tray lined with parchment paper. Curve into a crescent shape.
Repeat for the remaining 7 pieces of dough.
Once all cookies are made, use the trimmed edges of dough to make more cookies, as shown in the video.
Glaze the cookies with egg wash before baking. Whisk 1 egg yolk with 1 tablespoon of milk.
If you prefer sweeter, glaze the cookies with icing sugar, and lemon or orange juice. Personally, I prefer egg wash because the cookies are already sweet.
Garnish with colored sprinkles.
Place the cookie tray on the bottom oven rack. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until light golden.
Cool completely before enjoying.
Cuccidati can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for one week. They also keep well in the refrigerator and they freeze well.
This recipe produces 32 to 34 cookies.
Cuccidati take a little time to prepare, but so does everything that is made with love!
A must try for your holiday table! These delicious cookies are traditionally eaten at Christmas, but they can be enjoyed anytime during the year!
I hope you like my video!
Thanks for watching and for subscribing to my channel! I’ll see you next time!
#desserts #cuccidati #homemade

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