SHF #35 - Figs! Figs! Figs!

Ivonne said "Figs." And I said "Huh?"

I've only bought a fig once before. I had no idea how to tell if it was ripe or not, and seemed not to be since it did not taste very good.

I admit, I was nervous. Ivonne sent me some information to help me find a good fig, but it didn't help. It didn't help because I could not find a fresh fig to use any of it on.

That's right, it is fig season, but I could not find a fresh fig. Every store said that they were expecting them any time but hadn't received them yet. Every store.

I did manage to find some soft dried figs though, and with those in hand, found a recipe I thought I could slip past my family - Homemade Fig Newtons!

These are not store bought cookies. Heck, I can't say what they taste like cooled completely as they are still warm on my stove and I've already eaten a piece and mmmmm'd through it.

The recipe was lacking a few details, but I managed to get through it. Next time I would reduce the amount of sugar in the filling as it was very sweet.

Now to see if I can get the rest of the family to eat them. Otherwise I will have a full pan to myself.

Homemade Fig Newtons
From Recipezaar.com

1 lb dried figs or 2 lbs fresh figs
1 cup sugar
1 cup water (1 c. for dried figs, 1/2 c. for fresh)
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon cream or milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 3/4 cups flour

  1. Dice figs, soak in water 1 hour.
  2. Add sugar & cook on medium heat until of thin jam consistency.
  3. Beat sugar, butter, egg, milk & vanilla until well blended.
  4. Add dry ingredients.
  5. Mix well and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  6. Place 1/2 on well floured dough cloth; knead about 6 times.
  7. Roll out to 1/4" thick. Line 13 x 9" glass baking dish; cover with figs.
  8. Roll remaining dough, cover figs. Cook at 350° for 30 minutes.
  9. Let cool and cut into squares. Depending on the size you cut you can get a couple dozen cookies.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hurrah for the fig newtons! They look so good, Jenny, and I can only imagine how they tasted warm.

Fresh figs can be elusive so I'm sorry that you didn't get your hands on any. Maybe next year!

Thanks for taking part in SHF #35!

Judy said...

I bought some figs once...then I brought them home and didn't know what to do with them, so they ended up in the trash a few short days later. Good intentions....

Sara said...

i was just thinking how i don't really care for figs....but i forgot about fig newtons!!! they look great.

Peabody said...

Yeah, I hear you on the quest for figs. I almost made homemade fig newtons too...glad to see that someone did!

Gretchen Noelle said...

Oh, how I have been *craving* fig newtons! I shall have to try these whenever figs come back into season!

Karen Baking Soda said...

lol, same here Jenny and I still am under the impression that I don't like fresh figs... Guess I have to keep looking for them.

Helene said...

Ouh! Homemade fig Newtons...how cool! They look great!

Janet said...

oh - I just adore Fig Newtons. I have a recipe for homemade ones on my blog too... check it out!

Fig Newtons

Anonymous said...

I have two fig trees, new to me that came with new home ... and I am so glad to find such a well-received recipe to use the fruit. So far, many figs are on the trees, and I am hoping that enough will survive the birds, pests, and my inexperience to use in this recipe.

Anonymous said...

If you want to know a great place to buy great figs, you could try Holy Food Imports. I've been buying dates from them for awhile now and all the ones I've received have been fresh.