Recipe - Fig Newtons

5 tablespoon Unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoon Sour cream
2/3 cup Firmly packed dark brown
sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
2 cup Flour
2 teaspoon Baking powder
One half teaspoon Baking soda
One fourth teaspoon Ground cinnamon
One half teaspoon Salt

FILLING
2 cup Dried figs, preferably
moistpack black figs,
stems removed
1 Three fourths cup Water
1/3 cup Sugar
2 teaspoon Grated lemon peel
One fourth teaspoon Salt

In a small bowl beat the butter and sour cream until light. Gradually add
the brown sugar, beating until the mixture is very light and thick.
Incorporate the eggs one at a time; beat in the vanilla.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add
gradually to the creamed mixture. Divide the dough into three equal parts,
wrap each part in lightly floured plastic wrap, then refrigerate the dough
for at least two hours.

Meanwhile, combine the figs and water in a heavy saucepan and simmer,
covered for 30 mintues, or until the fruit is soft. Add the sugar, lemon
peel and salt, and simmer, covered, for 15 mintues longer. Press the
mixture through the coarse disk of a food mill. Cool.

On a wellfloured board, roll one piece of chilled dough into a rectangle
about 5 by 11 inches (12 by 28 cm). Spread one third of the fig filling
along one side of the dough, covering an area roughly 2 inches (5 cm) wide
and 10 inches (25 cm) long, leaving margins of about One half inch (1 cm) on the
edges. Mound the filling slightly along its length, then moisten the
exposed margins with water. Very gently, lift the uncovered dough with a
spatula and fold it over the filling. Press it down, then trim the edges
and shape the roll into a neat half cylinder about 11 inches (28 cm) long
and 2 to 2 One half inches (5 to 6 cm) wide. Place the filled roll on a large
baking sheet that has been buttered lightly or covered with parchment
paper.

Repeat the filling operation wth the remaining two thirds of the dough and
filling, then bake the three rolls in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 25
minutes, or until they are ightly browned.

Cool the rolls briefly on a rack. Then with a sharp, serrated knife, trim
off the ends of each roll and cut it into slices about 1 One half inches (4 cm)
thick. Replace the slices on the rack. When the fig bars are completely
cool, store them in an airtight container.

From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini