Fruitcake Cookies

• 1/2 pound dried figs
  
• 1/4 pound raisins
  
• 2 ounces candied cherries, coarsely chopped
  
• 2 ounces dried apricots, coarsely chopped
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
  
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
  
• 6 ounces chopped pecans
  
• Kosher salt
  
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 1/2 cup superfine sugar
  
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  
• 1 extra-large egg
  
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1. Snip off the hard stems of the figs with scissors or a small knife and coarsely chop the figs. In a medium bowl, combine the figs, raisins, cherries, apricots, honey, sherry, lemon juice, pecans, and a pinch of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit overnight at room temperature.
   
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cloves, superfine sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the egg and mix until incorporated. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt just until combined. Don't overmix! Add the fruits and nuts, including any liquid in the bowl. Divide the dough in half and place each half on the long edge of a 12 by 18-inch piece of parchment or waxed paper. Roll each half into a log, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4-inch thick, making an 18-inch-long roll. Refrigerate the dough for several hours, or until firm.
   
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
   
4. With a small, sharp knife, cut the logs into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Place the slices 1/2-inch apart on ungreased sheet pans and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly golden.

• 1/4 cups butter
  
• 1/2 cups honey
  
• 1 1/2 cups Flour
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 tsp salt
  
• 1 tsp baking soda
  
• 1/2 tsp cloves
  
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  
• 1/2 t. cinnamon
  
• 2 Tbs milk
  
• 2 cups candied fruit
  
• 1 cup raisins
  
• 1 cup walnuts
  
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice

1. Cream butter and honey together. Add the eggs, mixing well after each addition.
   
2. In small bowl, mix Flour, salt, soda & spices. Whisk well and add to butter mixture, along with milk. Mix on very slow speed, as to not add a lot of air into the dough.
   
3. Stop the mixer and add the candied fruit, raisins, walnuts and pineapple juice. Mix slowly, just until combined.
   
4. Do a Final mix with a spatula and then cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill 1 hour or more.
   
5. When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 325ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment. Scoop dough out onto baking sheet, making sure to leave plenty of room for cookies to spread. Bake for 15 minutes. Immediately remove parchment from baking sheet and let cookies cool on a rack.

• 3/4 cup All purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
  
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking powder
  
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  
• 3/4 cup Light brown sugar
  
• 3 cups Dried fruits, chopped (any combination)
  
• 3 cups Nuts, chopped (any nuts)
  
• 3/4 cup Applesauce (instead of 3 eggs)
  
• 1/4 cup Water
  
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
  
• 5 to 10 drops Tea Masala Extract (optional)

1. Preheat the oven at 375F.
   
2. Grease and dust a 13×9 inch pan with little flour.
   
3. In a large bowl whisk together all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and light brown sugar.
   
4. Also add the chopped dried fruits and nuts of your choice. Make sure that the dried fruits are not lumped togther. Use your fingers mix it thoroughly.
   
5. In a liquid measuring mug, measure 3/4th cup of applesauce. Add the vanilla extract, 1/4 cup water and tea masala extract (if using). Whisk it nicely.
   
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix it well. Since it's a lot of dried fruits and nuts, chances are the flour mixture in the bottom may not be combined well.
   
7. Spread the batter into the prepared pan and use a spatula to evenly press it.
   
8. Bake for the 30 minutes at 375F. When I inserted a toothpick in the center it was almost done and it had started to become golden brown. I wanted to bake it for another 5 minutes, but I worried if the cake would become very dark, so I reduced the temperature to 300F and baked it for 5 more minutes.
   
9. Once out of the oven, leave the pan on a wire rack and let it cool completely before cutting it. I inverted the fruitcake on a big cookie sheet and then cut them into pieces. This cake will store for months in the refrigerator.

offthemark.com - by Mark Parisi