The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap 2013 – Figgy Pudding Cookies

This was my second year of participating in the cookie swap. Last year I had participated in non-blogger cookie swap as I did not have a regular blog. This year , luckily I have started writing and sharing recipes more and more so I could finally be part of fbcookieswap. So, we register to be part of the cookie swap before a deadline and then they match us with other bloggers and we receive our swaps. We bake and send out  a dozen cookies to three different food bloggers and some other three bloggers send me a dozen of cookies each. Isn’t it fun. I am not a big cookie fan, but I really enjoy knowing other food bloggers and discovering their recipes.

I sent cookies to three talented blogger

Expressoandcream

joanne-eatswellwithothers.com

thepancakeprincess.com

I hope they would have liked the cookies.

And, I received cookies from some very talented bloggers –

thebakingyear.wordpress.com Orange, cranberry Biscotti

thepantrykey.wordpress.com Vegan Chocolate Coconut cookies

kinseycooks.com Salted Almond Toffee Cookies

They were all so good. Each of them made my day with their delicious cookies.

So, here’s the recipe of Figgy Pudding Cookies that I had sent out.

I had initially tried these cookies at food bloggers potluck. I really liked the taste of figs in cookies.

So, when it came down to bake cookies for the swap, I decided to go with these cookies.

Figgy Pudding Cookies adapted by helenthenanny.com

Ingredients:

For the Cookies

• 1 tablespoon orange zest (from one orange)
• 8-10 large dried Turkish or Caliymirna Figs (the light brown ones)
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cups (or 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cups Confectioners sugar
• 1 large egg

For the Brandy-Sugar Glaze

• 1 1/2 cup Confectioners sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons Brandy (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• Sift together flour, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a bowl and set it aside. Dice figs into small chunks and put them in a saucepan with the milk. Heat on low, stirring occasionally for about 15. Put 1 1/2 sicks of softened butter in the bowl of the electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on med-high until the butter is fluffy, about two minutes. Sift 3/4 cup of confectioners sugar into the fluffy butter and mix until smooth. Add in one egg and reduce speed to low. Add in flour mixture and mix until just combined. Strain the figs from the milk. Add them, along with the orange zest, to the dough. Fold in until the ingredients are evenly distributed. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• After the dough has cooled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough until it is 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out the cookies and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet, spaced one inch apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
• While the cookies are baking, combine all the ingredients for the Brandy-Sugar Glaze in a saucepan on med-low heat, and stir often, until the sauce comes together.
• After the cookies have cooled, use a fork to drizzle the warm glaze on them.

If you wish to participate in the next year’s cookie swap head on here and signup yourselves – http://eepurl.com/qCABj.

I would like to extend my thanks to all the cookie swap and also to OXO for sending us those spatulas. I love them and also to the organizers Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil and The Little Kitchen.

Happy Holidays!