Fig and orange rolls with Christmas spices
These figs rolls by chef and food writer Claire Thomson are a world away from the shop-bought version. A heady mix of spices and orange complements the figs beautifully.
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 15 mins
plus 30 minutes resting and chilling, plus 10 minutes cooling
Makes around 12 fig rolls
Published: November 29, 2022 at 8:59 am
Ingredients
- 250g figs
- 1 tbsp light brown sugar
- 50g crystallised ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of cloves
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- Zest of an orange
- 50g unsalted butter, softened
- 40g light muscovado sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 175g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- Pinch of fine salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
Method
Step 1
First make the filling. Put the figs into a pan in a snuggly fitting single layer. Add the sugar and enough water to barely cover the fruit. Bring to the boil, then put a lid on, reduce the heat and simmer for around 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until the figs are soft and the liquid all but evaporated. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
Step 2
Put the cooled figs and remaining filling ingredients in a blender or food processor and process to a smooth paste. Chilli in the fridge while you make the dough.
Step 3
Beat the butter and sugar until creamy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and briefly mix to form a dough. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 4
Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan.
Step 5
Roll the dough out to a 35cm x 20cm rectangle and cut along the horizontal to form two rectangles. Divide the fig paste between the two, spreading it out on the dough evenly. Roll the dough up from the long side, as you would a sausage roll, making sure the paste is completely enclosed in dough. Run a wet fingertip along the edge of the dough to help seal the dough shut. Cut each roll into around six biscuits, approximately 4cm wide, then stamp the top with a fork.
Step 6
Bake for 13–15 minutes until crisp and lightly golden at the edges. Remove the tray from the oven and cool the rolls on a wire rack before serving.
Image: Jason Ingram
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Gill Meller