Sugar Plums

Sugar Plums

We've all heard of them.....now enjoy them!  Sugar Plums will dance in your MOUTH!


Ingredients:

6 oz almond paste (ground almonds)
4 oz dried plums
4 oz dried apricots
4 oz dried figs

(try just buying a bag of trail mix with dried fruit, pick out the coconut and banana chips)

1/4 tsp anise (if you can find seed, otherwise use 1/8 tsp anise extract)
1/4 tsp fennel seeds (ground if you can find it)
1/4 tsp cardamon seeds (ground if you can find it)

1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup honey

What to do:

If using whole spice seeds, toast the anise and fennel seeds until browned either in the oven spread thinly or in a frying pan on the stove top (don't add oil or fat).  Grind the seeds fine.

Chop the dried fruit and almond paste together by hand or in a food processor until fine (small pieces of fruit will be able to be rolled into balls with the almond paste.)

Mix the powdered sugar with the anise, fennel and cardamon, mix in the honey and finally add the chopped fruit / almond mixture.

Shape into 1/2 - 1 inch balls by hand, dry at room temperature overnight and roll in coarse sugar the next day.  I think coloredsugar like red and green look best.

ENJOY!  I think this is a unique holiday treat as nobody ever has sugar plums at Christmas!

Store in air tight container in a cool, dry place.