This recipe was quite a journey.  After many attempts and too many references to mention, I persevered, as there seemed too much scrumptious potential in these cookies to give up. It felt like I was conjuring up a kind of magic, from the transformation of ingredients to the finished result – even more so due to the many attempts to get here.  I am now satisfied to share it with you.

notes

  • The filling could replace any dried fruit of choice—dates would work nicely. I used 1 cup whole almonds, which I ground in a blender. Blanched almonds would give a much more visually pronounced contrast between the filling and the dough.
  • I wanted to achieve a lighter cookie, so I used white spelt flour, but it can be replaced with whole spelt or rice flour for a gluten-free version.
  • I call this a dough, but to clarify, it doesn’t handle like a regular dough—it is very fragile and easily crumbles. This is why working between two pieces of baking paper is recommended. The results are delicious and worth all the fiddliness.

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benefits

  • In Ayurveda, sultanas are considered the kingly of all fruits, figs are considered precious, and winter citrus adds colour and zest to the last of these dark and rainy days.
  • Figs, whether fresh or dried, are an incredibly healthy treat. They have favourable calcium levels and contain iron, potassium, manganese, and vitamin B6. They also have a high fibre content, keeping us fuller for longer and having a helpful laxative effect.
  • When buying any dried fruit, look for organic and sulphite-free.

fig almond orange swirl cookies

makes approximately 18 cookies.

Recipe inspired from here.

Not overly sweet, the luscious fig filling is deeply flavourful, and the pastry is light and buttery. 

ingredients for the dough

1½ cups/130g almond meal (1 cup whole almonds ground in a blender)

1 cup/120g white spelt flour

⅛ tsp fine rock salt

¼ cup/60ml olive oil

2 heaped Tbsp brown sugar/coconut sugar

¼ cup/60ml freshly squeezed orange juice

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp baking powder

fig paste

9 medium/180g dried soft figs

½ packed cup/80g dried sultanas/raisins

orange zest of 1 orange

½ tsp cinnamon powder

¼ cup/60ml fresh orange juice

sesame seeds for garnishing

prepare the dough

  1. Set the oven to 180C/360F.  Line a baking sheet with baking paper.
  2. Combine the almond meal, flour, and salt in a medium bowl, whisking well. Set aside.
  3. Whisk the oil and sugar in a small bowl for 1 minute, then add the fresh orange juice, baking powder, and baking soda until combined. It will billow up and turn into the most gorgeous, soft, golden colour.
  4. Slowly add to the flour and almond meal mixture, then gently combine.  The dough should be quite moist and soft. Cover and refrigerate while making the fig paste.

prepare the fig paste

  1. Remove and discard the hard stems from the figs. Chop in half, then place in a food processor, along with the sultanas and orange zest. Process until the figs are nicely broken up. Add cinnamon powder and pour in the orange juice. Process until it forms a thick, sticky paste and starts to come together. Cover and set aside.

to assemble

  1. Remove the dough from the fridge and place it on baking paper. Place another piece of baking paper on top and roll the dough into a rectangle under ¼-inch thick, approximately 15 x 9 inches. (It is fine for the dough to be longer than 15 inches, but make sure it is no wider than 9 – 10 inches.) To make a neat rectangle, trim any excess dough around the sides and press it into the corners that need more shaping.
  2. Spoon the fig filling over the dough and spread evenly, ensuring it covers the edges. Use the baking paper to gently roll the dough’s long side around the filling to form a neat log. Leave the seam side down as the weight of the roll seals the edge.
  3. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds, and use the outer edges of the baking paper to help press the seeds into the top and sides, pressing any seeds that have fallen. The dough and fig paste contrast will be more pronounced after baking. Place the log in the freezer for 20 minutes to firm it up for easier cutting.
  4. With a sharp knife, slice into 2 cm thick pieces, wiping the knife after each cut. If you want more of a perfectly round shape, rotate the roll after several cuts, then give it a gentle squeeze to reshape it into rounds on the tray. Carefully transfer them to the baking tray, laying them flat with the spiral of the fig paste facing up.
  5. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the tray halfway through baking until golden in colour. Remove from the oven.

It is delicious eaten warm, later that same day, or the next.