Holiday Cooking: Cucidati Sicilian Fig Cookies - Part II

Clara's Official Website: www.welcometoclaraskitchen.com
Clara's Holiday Special!
Cucidati Fig Cookies Part I
Recipe:
Cucidati Cookies (Sicilian Cookies by Clara)
FILLING
Boil 2 cups of water and add 1/2 cups sugar. Let cook.
3/4 cups shelled hazel nuts
1/2 cups shelled almonds
1/2 cups shelled walnuts
1/2 cups shelled pecans
Toast all nuts on cookie sheet separately (different nuts take different times to toast).
Grind together with nuts:
1/2 lb. diced candied fruit
1/4 lb. dark raisins
1/4 lb. light raisins
1/4 lb. dates (pitted)
1 orange with rind
1 dried tangerine with rind
2 lbs. figs or (2 packages or atleast 14 oz. apiece)
Mix well all the ground ingredients.
Add 1/2 or 3/4 of the cooled sugar water to make a nice soft mixture (be careful not to make it too soft).
Save the rest of the sugar water mixture.
Add 1/2 cup whiskey to ground ingredients.
Mix well and let stand overnight. Keep in a fridge or cool place.
You may need to add the sugar-water the next day.
DOUGH
10 cups flour
1 lb lard
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cold milk
2 heaping table spoons baking powder
1 table spoon vanilla
12 eggs
Work flour and lard like you would pie crust.
Melt sugar in milk.
Beat egg and add vanilla.
When flour and lard are mixed well, add baking powder, then add the other ingredients and mix until you have a nice liable dough.
Let stand at least one hour, or this can be made the day before. Cover with a clean dish towel and put in the fridge or a cool place.
Roll dough.
Fill with filling (you can use a pastry bag). Cut and bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350 until golden brown.
If you like icing, mix milk, powdered sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla (preferably white vanilla). Brush on cookies and sprinkle with little colored candies.
COMPLETE INGREDIENT LIST
-Flour
-Lard
-Sugar
-Milk
-Baking Powder
-Eggs
-Powdered Sugar
-White Vanilla
-Little colored candies for topping
-Filbert nuts (or Hazel nuts)
-Almonds
-Walnuts
-Pecans
-Candied fruit
-Dark raisins
-Light raisins
-Dates
-1 Orange
-1 Tangerine rind
-2 packages of figs or at least 14oz. apiece
-Whiskey
www.welcometoclaraskitchen.com

[@robinc8903]

Every once in awhile I come by and watch all of Clara's cooking videos….Even though she's gone, she is still in our hearts. We love you Clara!!!!.

[@oldschoolcollodion]

"They're good if you're constipated too!" Grandma knows best, lol

[@angiep8217]

Congratulations to the producer who is her Grandson. You were kind enough to share your grandmother's recipes when others would not.

[@normalopez2975]

That day must’ve been so wonderful. Snowing outside, baking Christmas cookies with your grandmother, priceless

[@pen9458]

I love how she put the cookies on a bed sheet. She is priceless. RIP sweet lady.

[@ddoyle11]

Whenever I miss my grandmother, I watch a few of Clara's videos. Such a lovely lady. Gentle and soft-spoken just like my grandmother was. I miss her, but she's always in my memories.

[@EqlOpper2Nity]

Yikes I've never seen a cookie recipe that required so many ingredients, I can see why she only made them once a year.

[@jessica3497]

I watch an episode or two each night before bed. The world was blessed to have had 98 amazing years with Clara. May she forever Rest In Peace

[@NoreensKitchen]

I will be making these next week in honor of Clara and cannot wait to share the video with everyone! Thanks Clara for inspiration and wisdom! Thanks to your grandson for having the foresight to put you in front of a camera even if it was something you were resistant to. You will live in all of our hearts for many years!

[@Heatherzhany]

“They are good if you are constipated too.” Clara you are such an adorable grandma.

[@diane9247]

I just love seeing all the old stove, tools and cookware in Clara's kitchen. Most of it 1960s-70s. Nothing fancy, just what everyone really had before expensive "gourmet kitchenware!" She was such a doll. I miss my grandmothers.

[@prepperdaddydavis1745]

this is what I want my wife to give me for valentines day . forget rose petals all over the bed....I want cookies

[@heatherquinn8684]

Old bowls, scale, measuring cups...even tin foil on the oven grates. Ahhhh, she reminds me of my granny

[@germyw]

My mom i s african-american and from Louisiana and she LOVES these cookies. There is a famous Italian ice cream shop/bakery in New Orleans that makes these. She grew up on these so I made them for her one Christmas. She loved them.

[@TheCatholicFaithfu]

Oh, I am in tears. This is one of my all-time favorite videos of all times, and not just because I am part Italian, from NY, and happen to love love love Christmas fig cookies. This woman is so funny. If other cooks on tv were this funny and straight-forward, I'd be interested in watching them.

[@womantowomen]

This is wonderful to see these young women learning from grandma. Grandma Clara this is my dream for my grand children. I'm going to be coming here a lot. Thanks!

[@CaffeinatedInFL]

I love watching Claras videos. But what I truly love is the comments section under each video. People from all over the world, all ethnicities, all walks of life leaving such beautiful comments. It’s so uplifting. I love that we all appreciate this wonderful woman and the legacy she left behind.

[@ArtisticElixir]

I think the cutest part of the video was Clara's great-grandson putting the sprinkles on the cookies and then saying, 'I love cookies.' Too cute!

[@mr.sculptsalot9823]

They should make a restaurant after Clara and all her recipes made there and for dessert fresh cookies!! Ha ha ha

[@shlunn]

Even though you are not here with us, you are still a joy to behold. Thank you