Fig's Under My Thumb

Baking With Dynamite has been a little crazy lately. She's been feeling a bit like an indecisive chameleon, changing colors, changing looks, adding on and deleting appendages, all sorts of stuff. But, as of this very moment, I think she might be settled in. Sure a couple of links are still broken, and some of the colors might need some fixing to be easier to read, but for the most part... I'm thinking D-U-N done. Thank you everyone very much for your suggestions and website recommendations, it was all very helpful. To those of you who like the look, cool... and for those that think it's missing something... let me know. Chiropractor, Baker, Bodybuilder, yes... but home decorator and artist, no :)

Oh wait, I need a header. Well, almost done, then. Maybe a sweet Missouri girl can help a guy out*

So to keep up with the mix up theme, I'm mixing recipes today. What do you get when you throw a bunch of awesome bloggers idea's together? Well, wait and see...

Clumbsy Cookie, my Portugese, fun loving, sugar craving buddy is having a Fig Week this week. Everyday is a different fig recipe, and each one is better than the last one. So, bascially, in my eyes, this is one of the best weeks in the history of mankind. I love figs... I mean come on, I'm Adam... don't fig leaves cover the uh... right ;)

While the chocolate chip cookie post showed many of you do in fact love the Triple C (and we all should, right?), it's not my favorite cookie. Really, I'm sorry to say it, but it's true. I prefer sugar or oatmeal cookies, and I don't know exactly why... I think it's part of my genetic code :)

Nik, proud owner of Nik Snacks, has cooking skills worthy 0f 17 gold medals. She always has great original ideas, and I love how couple of times a week, I know I am going to get schooled in delicious, southern love inspired cooking. A week ago she made a healthier sugar cookie for some cool school kids. I know that if they are good enough for school kids, they'd be right for me. I am technically a school kid still, right? I'll just adapt it a little, I hope she doesn't mind :)

So figs + sugar cookie... hmmm... How about Fig Thumbprint Sugar Cookies? Yup, I was super excited too :) We're talking like you just got a king sized candy bar in your halloween bag excited.

Fig Thumbprint Sugar Cookies
Nicolette Miller-Ka and Adam

Sugar Cookie Dough
-4 oz smart balance spread (I just used unsalted butter)
-3/4 cup powdered sugar
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-1/4 cup egg subsititue (I used 1 whole egg)
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 1/3 cup flour

Fig Filling
-4 oz fresh finely chopped or pulsed Figs (Black Mission used here)
-1/3 cup honey
-1/8 tsp cloves
-1/8 tsp cinnamon
-1 Tbsp lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350*, grab two ungreased cookie sheets, and line with slipmat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, add cream the butter and sugar together, until pale yellow and creamy. Add in the baking soda, salt, vanilla, and egg, mixing with a hand mixer until well incorporated. Add flour into the butter mixture, and continue to beat until smooth.

Mean while, in a small bowl pour in your chopped figs (my food processor is my arms) honey, cloves, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Using a spatula - I would lightly coat in cooking spray so the figs don't stick to it... fold in all the ingredients until the figs are nicely coated and start to stick together some. Add more honey if they do not stick together.

Using a tablespoon scoop, scoop up a piece of dough, roll into a small ball with your hands, and place the sugar cookie dough onto the cookie sheets,with enough room to grow. Then, with a lightly wet thumb, press each cookie ball down lightly so there is a 1/2 inch deep imprint.

Fill each imprint with the fig filling (Be careful this can be messy as figs are sticky). Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until the bottoms brown and are firm to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 20 cookies.

Ok, so maybe they aren't the most attractive cookie ever, because black fruit with seeds can look a little strange, but just try it. Mom always said dont judge a book by it's cover... and I say the same thing, unless the book is really, really Zoolander good looking. So this is the metaphorical love children of Nik, Cookie, and Adam. I'm not sure how to describe thier multi-cultural, multi-global personality, but I can guarentee a couple things. They are fun, they are simple, and if a cookie had a wicked sense of humor, this would be the poster child :)
Stop Sign