Visions of sugarplums
Dec. 15th, 2004 07:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
todayiamadaisyI made sugarplums this afternoon, and they should be well and truly ready for Christmas. I love sugarplums. I think this is partly because of the name; invented now, they would probably be called spicy nutty fruit balls, or something just as blandly descriptive, and that wouldn't be nearly so romantic. Who could imagine the dance of the spicy nutty fruit ball fairy?
Sugarplums
1 cup whole blanched almonds
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup finely chopped dried apricots
½ cup finely chopped seeded dates
2 tsp almond oil
½ cup pure icing sugar
Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Place almonds on a baking tray and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, then cool.
Chop cooled almonds until quite fine, but not dust. Add almonds and all other ingredients except almond oil and icing sugar to a bowl.
Rub hands with a little almond oil. Pinch off walnut sized pieces and roll into balls, re-oiling hands as necessary. Sift icing sugar over the balls, then roll them to coat well.
Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate if the weather is hot. Will mature over several weeks. Makes about 20.
From my grandmother's recipe book, with additions from The Age newspaper.
Sugarplums
1 cup whole blanched almonds
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ cup finely chopped dried apricots
½ cup finely chopped seeded dates
2 tsp almond oil
½ cup pure icing sugar
Preheat oven to 180ºC (350ºF). Place almonds on a baking tray and toast in the oven for about 10 minutes, then cool.
Chop cooled almonds until quite fine, but not dust. Add almonds and all other ingredients except almond oil and icing sugar to a bowl.
Rub hands with a little almond oil. Pinch off walnut sized pieces and roll into balls, re-oiling hands as necessary. Sift icing sugar over the balls, then roll them to coat well.
Store in an airtight container. Refrigerate if the weather is hot. Will mature over several weeks. Makes about 20.
From my grandmother's recipe book, with additions from The Age newspaper.
