Recipe - Anise-Scented Fig And Date Swirls

1 cup Firmly packed dried figs (as
soft as possible)
1 cup Firmly packed pitted dates
1/3 cup Water
One half cup Plus 2 tablespoons
granulated refined sugar
1 Three fourths cup Allpurpose flour
1 tablespoon Ground anise seeds
One fourth teaspoon Baking powder
One fourth teaspoon Baking soda
One fourth teaspoon Salt
1 Stick unsalted butter;
softened
4 ounce Cream cheese
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 lg Egg yolk
One fourth cup Granulated raw sugar
(turbinado or demerara)

In a blender puree figs and dates with water and 2 tablespoons refined
sugar. In a bowl whisk together flour, anise, baking powder, baking soda,
and salt. In another bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter,
cream cheese, and remaining One half cup refined sugar until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla, yolk, and flour mixture and beat until a dough forms. Form
dough into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in waxed paper, 1 hour, or until
firm enough to handle.

On a lightly floured sheet of waxed paper with a floured rolling pin roll
out dough into a 13 by 10inch rectangle, about 1/3 inch thick. Drop fig
mixture by spoonfuls onto dough and gently spread an even layer over dough.
Starting with a long side, roll dough jellyroll fashion into a 13inch
log, using waxed paper as a guide. Roll log in raw sugar to coat. Chill
log, wrapped in wax paper, 4 hours, or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly butter 2 baking sheets. Cut log
into 1/3inch thick rounds and arrange about 2 inches apart on a baking
sheets. Bake cookies in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, about
13 minutes, and transfer to racks to cool.

Yield: 36 cookies

Recipe by: Cooking Live Show #CL8971

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #810 by "Angele and Jon Freeman"
jfreeman@netusa1.net on Sep 26, 1997