dried fruits

Delicious to eat and fun to make, rugelach are miniature crescent-rolled pastries with a sweet filling.

Rugelach

salt

(2 sticks) cold unsalted butter,

oz (1 package) cold cream cheese,

brown sugar

sugar

walnuts

raisins

cinnamon

Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times to combine.

Add the chunks of butter and cream cheese, as well as the egg yolk. Pulse until the dough is moistened and crumbly with curd-like pieces about the size of peas. Dump the dough out onto a work surface. Knead just until it comes together and shape into a square or rectangle. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions and flatten into 1-inch thick discs. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Wipe out the food processor. To make the filling, place the brown sugar, granulated sugar, walnuts, raisins and cinnamon in the bowl of the food processor and pulse until the walnuts and raisins are finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until the dough is ready.

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove one disc of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap it and place it on a lightly floured work surface. (If necessary, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes until pliable enough to roll, but not too soft.) Dust the top of the dough lightly with flour, then use a rolling pin to roll it into a 10 - 11-inch circle, or just under an 1/8-inch thick. Sprinkle more flour and turn as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Spread 1/2 cup of the filling over the dough; using your hands, press the filling into the dough to anchor it.

Using a pizza cutter or very sharp knife, cut the dough into twelve equal wedges (just like you would cut a pizza). Roll each wedge up, beginning with the wide end and ending with the point. Place the rolls point-side down, about an inch apart, on the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining dough. You should have 24 rugelach on each baking sheet.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and the bottoms are golden and crisp (at first glance, it might look like the bottoms are burnt, but that's just the dark filling oozing out). Transfer the rugelach to a rack to cool.  

Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The Dough can be Frozen for up to 3 Months: Shape the dough into 2 discs, wrap each securely in plastic wrap, and place them in a sealable bag. When ready to bake, thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight, and then proceed with recipe. They can also be assembled and frozen before baking: Arrange them on a baking sheet (so they’re not touching) and freeze until very firm. Transfer them to an airtight container. They can be baked directly out of the freezer; they may just need a few extra minutes in the oven. To Freeze After Baking: Let the rugelach cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove them from the container and let them come to room temperature.

How to make homemade Cannoli without Wine

Cannoli Without Wine

ricotta cheese

tsp vanilla extract

fruits (finely chopped)

oz dark chocolate (finely chopped)

tbsp icing sugar

flour

tsp baking powder

tsp nutmeg

tbsp butter

tbsp red wine vinegar

tbsps sugar

tbsps orange juice

egg (for brushing)

vegetable oil (for frying)

water (if needed)

Cannoli without Wine

Chopped all the dry fruits and the dark chocolate.

Add in a bowl the ricotta cheese, add the dried fruits and the chocolate. Add the zest of an orange, the vanilla, the orange juice and the sugar.

Mix carefully all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.

Cannoli Filling

In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, nutmeg, baking powder and salt.

Add the butter, the egg and mix thoroughly. Add the orange juice, the red wine vinegar and pulse until the dough forms into a ball. Add water, if needed.

On a floured surface, knead the dough for 3 minutes. Make a ball and cover it. Let it rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Roll the dough into a long and equal snake shape, about 12 inches long. Cut into slices the dough. (Each disc should be about 1/2 inch thick). This should give you about 18 cannolis. Using a rolling pin, make a flat round shape of each disc. Take each disc and roll them around the cannoli tubes. Using the beaten egg and a brush, brush the last part of the disc to make it stick to the roll.

Heat the oil in the deep fryer to 190 °C (375 °F). Line a baking sheet with a paper towel. Fry 1 or 2 cannoli at a time for about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Cool the cannoli completely.

Cannoli Dough

Using a pastry bag or a Ziploc bag with one of the corner cut, fill up the tubes from each side.

Lay them down on a serving plate and dust them with some icing sugar. This desert is soo irresistible, for sure you will be not be able to eat just one;)

Assemble

This simple bake is lovely with a cuppa. Or have it for dessert instead, with custard or ice cream

Bread pudding

white or wholemeal bread

500 grams/1lb 2 ounces mixed dried fruit

mixed peel

1½ tbsp mixed spice

milk

eggs,

light muscovado sugar

lemon (optional)

butter, melted

tbsp demerara sugar

Tear 500g white or wholemeal bread into a large <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-mixing-bowls">mixing bowl</a> and add 500g mixed dried fruit, 85g mixed peel and 1 ½ tbsp mixed spice.

Pour in 600ml milk, then stir or scrunch through your fingers to mix everything well and completely break up the bread.

Add 2 beaten large eggs, 140g light muscovado sugar and <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-graters">zest</a> of 1 lemon, if using. Stir well, then set aside for 15 mins to soak.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line the base of a 20cm non-stick square cake tin (not one with a loose base).

Stir the melted butter into the pudding mixture, tip into the tin, then scatter with demerara.

Bake for 1½ hrs until firm and golden, covering with foil if it starts to brown too much. Turn out of the tin and strip off the paper. Cut into squares and serve warm.

Make the most of autumnal fruits in this refreshing and nourishing salad - make a batch and eat during the week

Winter fruit salad

good-quality ready-to-eat dried fruit (such as prunes, pears, apricots, figs cranberries)

tbsp clear honey

vanilla pod

Earl Grey tea bag

lemon juice

Tip the fruits and 700ml/11⁄4 pints cold water into a large saucepan. Add the honey and vanilla, scraping the seeds from the pod into the pan. Bring to the boil. Stir well, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until slightly syrupy.

Take the pan off the heat and stir in the tea bag. Leave to infuse for 10 minutes.

Discard the tea bag and vanilla pod, tip the fruits and liquid into a non-metallic bowl and pour over the lemon juice. Stir, then leave to cool. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Here is my recipe to make Panforte, the typical cake of
Siena rich in candied fruit
and dried fruit with a rustic and authentic
flavor. A unique and unmistakable Christmas cake!

Panforte di Siena

120 g wildflower honey

almonds

hazelnuts

g walnuts

candied fruit

figs

cilantro

clove

g black pepper

g cocoa powder

rice paper

First of all, heat the oven to 180C° (356F°) or...

First of all, heat the oven to 180C° (356F°)  or to 160C° (320F°) if ventilated. 

Line a 24 cm round cake pan with the rice paper.   

Now let's prepare the dried fruit.

As soon as the oven is hot, roast almonds, walnuts, and...

As soon as the oven is hot, roast almonds, walnuts, and hazelnuts on a baking sheet for 5 minutes. Let them cool, then chop them roughly.     

Grind all the spices with a mortar until...

Grind all the spices with a mortar until they are reduced to a powder. In a large boule l and add the flour, cocoa, and spices chopped. 

Incorporate then the toasted nuts, the candied fruit and the remainder selected dried...

Incorporate then the toasted nuts, the candied fruit and the remainder selected dried fruit.  

Separately, put a saucepan on the stove with honey and sugar. Cook over medium...

Separately, put a saucepan on the stove with honey and sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring for about 7/8 minutes or until you get a syrup.

Pour the syrup into the bo u l and with the other ingredients.

Mix and mix well the mixture and ingredients, using a wooden spoon!

When the mixture is homogeneous take the pan...

When the mixture is homogeneous take the pan that you lined at the beginning with the rice paper.

Pour the previously made mixture into the pan and, if...

Pour the previously made mixture into the pan and, if necessary, use your moistened fingers to press and compact everything to prevent holes from forming.

Cover everything with a couple of tablespoons of...

Cover everything with a couple of tablespoons of sugar and flour.

Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes.  

As soon as this time has elapsed, take...

As soon as this time has elapsed, take out and sprinkle with plenty of icing sugar.

Let the cake cool completely before serving.

Whip up a deliciously flavoursome lamb dish in one pot and within half an hour

One-pan lamb & couscous

lamb

harissa paste

olive oil

fruit and nuts

couscous

can chickpeas

milliliters/3½ fl oz hot chicken stock

mint leaves, torn

Rub the lamb with half the harissa paste. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the lamb for 3 mins on each side for medium-rare, or a little longer for well-done. Lift the meat out of the pan and tip in the remaining harissa, the dried fruit and nuts, couscous and chickpeas, then stir to coat in the paste. Take the pan off the heat and pour in the stock. Stir briefly, return the lamb to the pan and cover with a lid or tightly-fitting foil for 10 mins until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid.

Fluff up the couscous with a fork, season to taste and fold the mint leaves through to serve.

Use your choice of dried fruit, nuts, citrus zest and booze (or even tea) and get this simple Christmas cake made up to six months in advance

Easy Christmas cake

fruit

milliliters sherry, brandy, rum

lemons

pack unsalted butter,

light, soft brown sugar

eggs

plain flour

tsp mixed spice

Put your chosen dried fruit mixture into a large bowl with your choice of alcohol or tea, citrus zest and juice. Mix well, cover and leave overnight.

Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and double-line a deep cake tin – 20cm round or 18cm square – with enough baking parchment to come about 2.5cm above the top of the tin. Wrap the outside of the tin with a few sheets of newspaper, securing with staples or string.

Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy, then beat in the eggs one by one. Tip in the flour, mixed spice, soaked dried fruit and any liquid from the bowl, plus your chosen nuts, if using. Stir everything together, then scrape into the cake tin. Using the back of your spoon, make a slight dent in the centre of the mixture, then bake for 1½ hrs.

Reduce oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1, loosely cover the top of the cake with a double sheet of foil or baking parchment, and bake for another 2 ½ - 3 hrs or until a skewer poked right to the bottom comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then lift out and wrap in greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Keep in a cake tin with a tight-fitting lid, or wrapped in a large sheet of foil, in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Open the cake every week or two to feed by poking with a skewer in several places and dribbling over a little more of your chosen alcohol or tea.

Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F. Cut persimmons into wedges and add them to a bowl. Finely chop garlic and rosemary and add to a small bowl with some of the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to combine. Add the mixture to the persimmons and toss to coat.

Roasted persimmon salad with maple-mustard vinaigrette

persimmons

maple syrup

tsp mustard

garlic

rosemary

oz lamb's lettuce

oz walnuts

pecans

tbsp white wine vinegar

cranberries

pepper

Transfer persimmons to a baking sheet and bake at 200°C/390°F for approx. 10 – 15 min., or until the wedges are just brown on the outside, but not too soft. Let cool.

In the meantime, prepare the lamb’s lettuce. Roughly chop walnuts and pecans and toast them in a frying pan until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add mustard, maple syrup, and white wine vinegar to a small bowl and stir to combine. Slowly add remaining olive oil and stir to combine until a vinaigrette forms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange lamb’s lettuce and lukewarm persimmon wedges on a serving plate. Top with toasted walnuts, pecans, and dried cranberries, then drizzle with maple-mustard vinaigrette. Enjoy!

Top 8 dried fruits recipes from across the web

The most viewed dried fruits recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Rugelach

Cannoli Without Wine

Bread pudding

Winter fruit salad

Panforte di Siena

One-pan lamb & couscous

Easy Christmas cake

Roasted persimmon salad with maple-...

Top 8 dried fruits recipes from across the web

The most viewed dried fruits recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Rugelach

Cannoli Without Wine

Bread pudding

Winter fruit salad

Panforte di Siena

One-pan lamb & couscous

Easy Christmas cake

Roasted persimmon salad with maple-...

The most viewed dried fruits recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine