Traditional Sugar Plums Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 14 pieces
Ingredients:
½ cup California Prunes, about 3.25 oz
½ cup walnuts toasted & coarsely chopped (about 2 oz)
¼ cup dates pitted & chopped (just over 1 oz, about 5) or dried figs
¼ cup dried cranberries, about 1.25 oz
¼ cup hazelnut meal or almond meal* toasted (or hazelnut or almond flour) (see note to use whole nuts)
2 Tablespoons apricot preserves or honey
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
1 pinch fine sea salt
½ cup sugar. I use coarse sugar for crunch
Directions:
To toast the walnuts and hazelnuts, or almond meal:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C)
Spread the nuts out in a single layer on one side of a sheet pan, and pour the nut meal in a pile on the other side, and flatten with your hand or a spatula so it’s an even layer, about ¼ inch thick. Place the sheet pan in the oven for 8 minutes, then remove and allow to cool.
To make the Sugarplums:
Put the chopped prunes, walnuts, dates, and cranberries in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the ingredients are chopped into small, even pieces. Stop before the mixture becomes a ball.
Add the toasted nut meal, apricot preserves, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and salt. Pulse several times (you may need to stop to scrape down the sides) until the ingredients are fully combined and the mixture will hold itself together when rolled into a ball. (You should still see some texture from the fruit & nuts.)
Line a tray or container with wax or parchment paper. Scoop the mixture into heaping 1 tablespoon portions and roll into 1-inch balls, and place on the paper.
Roll the sugarplums in the sugar just before serving.
Notes:
You can store the sugarplums before they are rolled in sugar. Store at room temperature in a covered container (but not airtight/sealed) for up to 1 week. Or, refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Allow the sugarplums to come to room temperature before coating in sugar.
*If you’d like to use whole almonds or hazelnuts instead of flour/meal, use the same toasting and chopping method as the walnuts.
Pro tip: everyone freaks out about prunes and pooping. The real truth is this: prunes have fiber, like all dried fruit. They are great for gut health and bone health too. The U.S. is the only country that considers them the poop fruit - they’re simply delicious in other countries, which is why you find them in French, British & Italian desserts and lots of Indian & Middle Eastern cuisine.
The recommended serving is 4-5 prunes per day, and you won’t hit the danger zone unless you eat 10+ in one sitting. Why do I know this? My family grows prunes. Plus, I read.
Nutritional Facts:
Calories: 87kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 39mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 7IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 1mg
Recipe courtesy of G-Free Foodie.com
