Author Notes: A while ago Food & Wine published a wonderful recipe for Apricot-Tarragon Cookies, by Dorie Greenspan (http://www.foodandwine…). It made me think of all other combinations of dried fruits and herbs. Date and rosemary, fig and rosemary, cranberry and rosemary, pineapple and lemon verbena, mango and lemon thyme, just to name a few possibilities — all magnificent, due to the ingeniousness of Dorie’s basic recipe. Fig and rosemary was the winner among the family and friends, and became our staple cookies. They are our favorite addition to a cocktail party, and a perfect ending to a perfect dinner, when chocolate cake would be a bit too much, when one needs just a touch of sweetness, a tiny piece of cheese and a sip of port to toast to the ending of a wonderful meal.
p.s. The cookies are yummy straight out of the oven, even yummier when they cool down, and the yummiest if you wait for a day. —QueenSashy
Food52 Review: WHO: QueenSashy is a scientist who lives in New York City.
WHAT: A versatile, barely-sweet cookie we’ll be baking up for parties to come.
HOW: Make an easy dough, chill, bake, eat.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Cocktail party season is rife with rich dishes, but this lightly sweet, semi-savory cookie is a welcome, refreshing change. Add in a forgiving dough that takes well to freezing ahead of time, and we’re smitten. —The Editors
Makes: about 40 cookies
Ingredients
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1/2
cup dried Black Mission figs
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2
tablespoons finely chopped rosemary leaves
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1/2
cup Demerara or Turbinado sugar (I often use Sugar in the Raw)
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1
stick unsalted butter, softened
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1
large egg yolk
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1/3
cup extra-virgin olive oil
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1
teaspoon salt
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2
cups all-purpose flour
Directions
- In a bowl cover the figs with warm water. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are plump. Drain completely and dry with a paper towel. Chop the figs into small pieces.
- In a different bowl, rub the rosemary leaves into the sugar.
- In a mixer fitted with paddle, beat the butter with the rosemary sugar until creamy. Beat in the egg yolk. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil and beat until smooth. Add the salt and flour and beat until the dough forms. Dust the figs with flour to prevent them from sticking together, and using a large spatula fold them into the dough.
- Place the dough onto a work surface and knead until it comes together. Press the dough into a disc and refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours, until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 325° F convection bake (350° F regular bake).
- Place the dough on parchment paper or a work surface dusted with flour, and roll it out to a 1/4-inch-thick round. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, stamp out the cookies and arrange them one inch apart on the baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies for about 20 minutes until they are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack or flat surface to cool completely.
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Photo by James Ransom
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Ready to do this?
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First soak your figs, then chop them.
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Rosemary, meet sugar.
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Let these two get to know each other for a bit.
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Now to the start of any good cookie: beating the butter and sugar.
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Stop when it looks like this.
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Next comes an egg yolk, the oil, and a bit of salt for good measure.
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And of course, the flour.
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Leave it out — you'll need to dust your figs with it so they don't stick together.
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In they go!
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Mix until just combined, and turn the beautiful dough out.
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Knead until it comes together, then chill it. We're not telling you to taste test the dough, but we aren't telling you not to, either.
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This is the best part: roll the dough out, and stamp the cookies.
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Now bake! Wait patiently.
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Once they're cool, go ahead! We'd recommend a glass of bubbly alongside.
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