Anise-scented Fig And Date Swirls

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed soft dried fig, stemmed and coarsely chopped (8 oz)
• 1 cup packed pitted dates, trimmed and coarsely chopped (7 oz)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons anise seeds, ground
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1/4 cup granulated raw sugar, such as turbinado

Recipe

• 1 purée figs and dates with water and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar in a blender or food processor until almost smooth.
• 2 whisk together flour, anise, baking powder and soda, and salt in a bowl. beat together butter, cream cheese, and remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at moderate speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. beat in vanilla and yolk until combined well. add flour mixture and mix at low speed until just combined.
• 3 halve dough and form each half into a rectangle. chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.
• 4 roll out 1 piece of dough between 2 sheets of wax paper into a 9- by 7-inch rectangle, about 1/3 inch thick. remove top sheet of wax paper and drop half of fig mixture by spoonfuls onto dough, then gently spread in an even layer, leaving a 1/4-inch border around edges. starting with a long side and using wax paper as an aid, roll up dough jelly-roll style into a log. roll log in raw sugar to coat completely. make another log in same manner. chill logs, wrapped in wax paper, until firm, at least 4 hours.
• 5 preheat oven to 350°f.
• 6 cut logs crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices and arrange slices about 2 inches apart on lightly buttered baking sheets. bake in batches in middle of oven until pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool.
• 7 logs can be chilled up to 3 days.
• 8 cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature, 1 week.