Cuccidati

5 from 5 votes

Cuccidati are Italian fig cookies made with a simple pasta frolla, nut, fig, and fruit filling, and topped with a simple glaze. These cookies are perfect for Christmas!

Prep Time45

Resting time1 20

Total Time2 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: cookies

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

For the pasta frolla

4 cups (500g) all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 teaspoons lemon or orange zest
1 cup (226g) unsalted butter cold and cubed
1/4 cup milk
2 large eggs at room temperature

For the filling

2 1/2 cups (355g) dried figs
1 cup(140g) dried dates
2/3 cup(75g) raisins
1/3 cup(35g) candied orange peel
1/4 cup(35g) pistachios shelled and unsalted
1/4 cup(35g) hazlenuts
1/4 cup(35g) almonds
1/4 cup(35g) walnuts
1/3 cup(70g) apricot preserves
1/4 cup(55g) Marsala wine
2 ounces(55g) dark chocolate
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the icing

2 cups(240g) confectioner's sugar sifted
5-7 tablespoons (75g) heavy cream may need more to achieve desired consistency
nonpareil sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

For the pastry dough (pasta frolla)

Add the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and lemon zest to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to mix the ingredients. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse again until you have small, coarse pieces.
Add the eggs and milk and pulse just a few times until the dough is formed.
Place the dough onto a floured work surface and knead for a few seconds only; just enough until the dough is together in a ball.
But the dough ball in half, wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour before using. The dough can be made 1-2 days ahead of time.

For the filling

Soak the dried figs and raisins in a bowl with warm water and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
While the figs and raisins are sitting in the water, add the nuts, dark chocolate, cinnamon, and cloves to a food processor and process until coarsely ground, then move to a large bowl and set aside.
After 30 minutes, drain and place the figs and raisins on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to dry.
Remove the stems from the figs and slice them into quarters, then add them along with the dates and raisins to the bowl of a food processor and process until they are finely chopped.
Add the candied orange peel, Marsala wine, and apricot preserves and process until a paste is formed.
Add the fig paste to the nut mixture and mix to incorporate.

Assemble and bake

Preheat your oven to 350f and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and wait 20 minutes for it to come to room temperature.
Cut off a piece of dough and roll it out on a floured surface to approximately 1/4" thick, 18" long, and 5" wide rectangle. Use a pastry cutter or sharp knife to remove the excess edges of the dough to form a straight rectangle.
Take approximately half the fig and nut filling and roll it into a log that's equal in length to the dough rectangle and roll the dough around the log. You can use a bit of water on your finger to create a seal on the seam.
Place the log seam side down and cut it into 1-2 inch pieces using a pastry cutter or very sharp knife. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and repeat the process with the remaining dough.
Bake the cookies for 20-23 minutes, or until lightly golden on the bottom. Move the cuccidati to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before decorating with the icing and sprinkles.

Icing and decorating

In a medium-sized bowl combine the heavy cream and confectioner's sugar and whisk until glossy. If the mixture is too thick to work with, add more heavy cream (or water) a little at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. It should be thick enough to dip the cookie into but not runny.
Dip the tops of the cuccidati into the icing and top with nonpareils while the icing is still wet.
Place the cookies on a baking sheet and allow the icing to set completely before serving or storing.

Notes

The pasta frolla can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
Cuccidati can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
This recipe was written for a conventional oven. For convection ovens, reduce the temperature by 25 degrees and begin checking for doneness at the 75% mark.

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