Ruth
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This week, Ruth offers uprecipes for fig cookies, seen here, and lovers knots.
Photo courtesy Ruth Corcoran
‘I tried some different fig cookie recipes last year, but I prefer the taste of the filling in my Aunt Mary’s recipe,’ Ruth said.
Photo courtesy Ruth Corcoran
‘I tried some different fig cookie recipes last year, but I prefer the taste of the filling in my Aunt Mary’s recipe,’ Ruth said.
Photo courtesy Ruth Corcoran
‘When I made the dough for the lovers knots, I saved some to use for the fig cookies,’ Ruth said.
Photo courtesy Ruth Corcoran
Ruth advises you watch the size when rolling the lovers knots, as it will affect baking time.
Photo courtesy Ruth Corcoran
I like to use the holidays as a time to reflect on the years that have passed, remember those who I cherished, and think about what’s truly important in life. My memories of my family’s Christmases always include delicious Italian food and an abundance of homemade cookies. The kitchen was the heart of the house and the place where so many wonderful times were had.
I loved watching my mom and her aunts bake cookies when I was young and helping out when I was a bit older. The sweet smell of cookies baking filled the house and brought anticipation of the celebration to come. When I bake a family cookie recipe, it brings back all of those wonderful memories.
Every year, I gather some new family recipes to try, and this year was no exception. My cousin was kind enough to send me some of my Aunt Mary’s recipes. They originated with my maternal grandmother. I decided to give her Lovers Knots and Fig Cookies a try. She had no measurements for the fig cookie filling, so I just used what I thought would work, and taste-tested as I was adding each item. I tried some different fig cookie recipes last year, but I prefer the taste of the filling in my Aunt Mary’s recipe.
You’ll see from my photos that I was way off in the sizing of the cookies. They certainly don’t look pretty, but I assure you, they still taste delicious. They also need to be glazed or iced, but I was baking them now to freeze and will ice when I defrost. When I made the dough for the Lovers Knots, I saved some to use for the Fig cookies.
Continuing to bake our family Christmas cookie recipes is definitely a tradition that I hope to keep alive and continue with my grandchildren as they get older. Here are my Aunt Mary’s recipes for Lovers Knots and Fig cookies if you’d like to give them a try.
Italian Knots/Lovers Knots (Aunt Mary)
1 stick butter/margarine
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
dash salt.
Cream together margarine/butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat. Add milk and vanilla and beat. Gradually add flour, baking powder, and salt. This makes a soft dough. Refrigerate for at least one hour. I set aside some of the dough for the fig cookies. If you want to make a lot of each, double the recipe.
Take small pieces, about 1 tbsp, and roll on a lightly floured surface into a small thin roll and tie in a knot. Note: when I made my knots, I did not pay attention to this and rolled them into rolls that were too thick. I understand from others I asked that they should be the size of a thin cigar, mine were more like the size of a fat cigar.
Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Note: I would watch the bake time, it was good for my fatter cookies, but smaller ones might take less time. Cool and decorate with thin icing and topping of your choice suiting the occasion. I usually make icing with powdered sugar and milk or powdered sugar and Sambuca.
Fig Cookie Addendum (Great/grandmother Tessitore Zimardo’s specialty)
Mix together ground figs, dates, walnuts, orange rind, cinnamon, black pepper, and honey — enough to make the mixture workable. She did not provide measurements, so when I did it I used a 7 oz bag of Mission Figs, 2/3 of an 8 oz bag of whole pitted dates, and about ¾ cup of pecans. I put all into the food processor to grind and mix. Mixed in the zest from one orange, about 3 Tbsp of honey and black pepper, and cinnamon to taste. I added the honey little by little till I got a nice consistency that was easier to spread. Roll out knot cookie dough into long strips; place fig mixture in middle and roll dough into a log. Cut into 1-inch cookies. Bake @ 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.
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Ruth Corcoran is a professional marketer, former restaurant owner, and community advocate. She resides in Bear Creek. Readers can reach Ruth by emailing [email protected].
Ruth Corcoran is a professional marketer, former restaurant owner, and community advocate. She resides in Bear Creek. Readers can reach Ruth by emailing [email protected].