Small Christmas biscuits with dried figs

Ingredients

• 150 g Dried figs (Cut into pieces about 6 mm)
• 250 g All-purpose flour (Sift with the baking powder)
• 5 g Baking powder (About 1 teaspoon)
• 2 g Green anise seeds (About 1 teaspoon)
• 1 g Timut pepper (Two turns of the grinder, citrusy flavor)
• 1 unit Vanilla bean (Scrape the seeds)
• 250 g Granulated sugar (Divided between dough and coating)
• 2 unit Medium eggs (Beaten with a fork)
• 30 ml Olive oil (About 2 tablespoons)
• 150 g Crystal sugar (For coating the biscuits)

Instructions

1. Cut the dried figs

   Choose plump dried figs and cut them into small pieces about 6 mm.

   Time: PT5M

2. Sift the dry ingredients

   In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder. Add the green anise seeds, Timut pepper, vanilla bean seeds, and granulated sugar. Mix well, optionally rub the flour between your fingers to distribute the vanilla seeds.

   Time: PT5M

3. Incorporate the figs

   Add the dried fig pieces to the dry ingredients and mix again to distribute evenly.

   Time: PT2M

4. Beat the eggs

   In a small bowl, beat the two medium eggs with a fork until a homogeneous mixture is obtained.

   Time: PT2M

5. Form the dough

   Make a well in the center of the dry mixture, pour in the beaten eggs, then add the olive oil. Mix first with the spatula, then knead by hand until you obtain a dough ball that detaches from the bowl walls.

   Time: PT5M

6. Roll out and cut

   On a flour‑free work surface, roll the dough to about 1.5 cm thickness with a rolling pin. Cut diamonds using a sharp knife, gently lift them with a spatula and place them on the work surface. Repeat until the dough is used up.

   Time: PT10M

7. Coat with crystal sugar

   Dip each biscuit in the crystal sugar to fully coat it, then place it on a baking sheet.

   Time: PT5M

8. Preheat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C on convection mode.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 200°C

9. Baking

   Place the biscuits on the sheet with enough space between them. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly golden.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 200°C

10. Cool

    Remove the sheet from the oven, transfer the biscuits to a cooling rack and let cool completely at room temperature.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

70

Protein

1 g

Carbohydrates

10 g

Fat

3 g

Fiber

1 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Dried figs: Raisins, Chopped dates
• Instead of All-purpose flour: Wheat flour, Pastry flour
• Instead of Baking powder: Baking soda + cream of tartar
• Instead of Green anise seeds: Star anise, Fennel
• Instead of Timut pepper: Black pepper, Lemon zest
• Instead of Vanilla bean: Vanilla extract, Vanilla sugar
• Instead of Granulated sugar: Cane sugar, Coconut sugar
• Instead of Medium eggs: Apple sauce puree (for egg-free version)
• Instead of Olive oil: Sunflower oil, Melted butter
• Instead of Crystal sugar: Pearl sugar, Raw cane sugar

Equipment Needed

• Bowl (large)
• Sieve
• Pepper grinder (optional)
• Wooden spatula
• Rolling pin
• Sharp knife
• Baking sheet
• Cooling rack
• Oven (convection)
• Small bowl for the eggs
• Fork

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Cut the figs into uniformly sized pieces (≈6 mm).
• Knead the dough until it forms a ball that detaches from the bowl walls.
• Baking: do not exceed 10 minutes to avoid the biscuits becoming too hard.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Use very plump dried figs for a softer texture.
• Lightly sprinkle fleur de sel before baking for a subtle sweet‑salty contrast.
• Serve the biscuits with black tea or mulled wine for the holidays.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Can be kept for 1 week in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Freezer: Yes, up to 1 month, well wrapped in plastic film then in a freezer bag.

Room temperature: Store in a metal tin away from moisture, up to 2 weeks.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The dough can be prepared the day before, wrapped in plastic film and kept in the refrigerator.
• Baked biscuits keep well and can be packaged in gift bags.