This is a story about Fig Newtons (the cookie). And my husband. And a delicious fig cake created by Ashley at Cookie Monster Cooking.
When I read Ashley’s recipe, I immediately thought of my husband. He has always loved Fig Newtons, or so I thought. I printed the recipe and gathered the ingredients.
That night, I was excited to tell my husband about the cake bars I was going to make for him. However, he didn’t respond with enthusiasm as anticipated. It turns out, he does love figs, but no so much the “newtons”. The cookies aren’t crunchy. He likes crunchy. All these years he has been eating Fig Newtons for the fig filling and putting up with the soft cookie.
Eventually, I made the cake anyway, but not for my husband. The fig filling is amazing. I decided that I had to create something crunchy using the fig jam, something my husband would love and also something that could be care package material.
This Fig Jam Biscotti is the result. Biscotti are the ultimate care package cookies because of their sturdiness and their wonderfully long shelf life. Most biscotti stay fresh for weeks. The Fig Jam biscotti start out crunchy (not hard) and get softer over the weeks. After 4 weeks, mine were more like a soft cookie but still very good.
Fig Jam Biscotti
Filling recipe from cookiemonstercooking.com
Biscotti adapted from King Arthur Flour
Makes 30-40 biscotti
Filling:
8 ounces dried figs, stemmed and quartered (I used a combination Calimyrna yellow figs and black Mission figs)
2 cups apple juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Dough:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment.
To make filling:
- Into a medium sauce pan, add figs, apple juice, and 2 tablespoons sugar.
- Cook over medium heat until figs are soft and the liquid is syrupy (about 15 minutes), stirring occasionally.
- Pour the figs and syrup into the bowl of a food processor (or blender), add lemon juice, and pulse until jam-like. Set aside.
To make dough:
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, 2/3 cup sugar, salt, vanilla extract and baking powder until smooth.
- Add eggs, and beat to combine.
- On low speed, slowly add flour and mix until smooth.
To make biscotti:
- Pour fig jam onto dough in mixer bowl. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, very gently fold the jam into the dough. Don’t mix the jam into the dough. It should remain in stripes or layers.
- Divide the dough in half. Scoop onto the baking sheet and shape into 2 logs about 9” x 2” . (The dough is sticky. Wetting your hands as you shape the logs makes it much easier.) After logs are formed, smooth the tops with a slightly wet spatula.
- Bake for 25 minutes. (If the tops of the logs are getting over browned due to the sugar in the jam, place a sheet of foil on top of the biscotti until baking is complete.)
- Remove biscotti from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
- Cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. (If biscotti crumble while cutting wait until the dough cools a little longer.) Slice the logs into ½” – ¾” slices.
- Stand the slices on edge on the baking sheet.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until deep golden. These biscotti soften over time and have a softer bite than traditional hard biscotti. Don’t under cook or they won’t be crunchy at all.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature. These biscotti remain delicious for at least 4 weeks.
Packing tips: Bundle 2 or 3 biscotti together in plastic wrap. Place bundles in an airtight container or zip lock bag.
Wendy I love this! What a great idea to incorporate the filling into biscotti. I do love biscotti. So glad you liked the fig filling – we loved it too : )
Ashley, thank you so much for introducing me to this filling! Once I tasted your recipe, I knew I had to find a way for my husband to enjoy its deliciousness! Don’t you think it would work well with dried apple too? As soon as I have time I’m going to try.
A couple of these beauties would be perfect with my afternoon tea! I never thought of adding jam to biscotti…YUM1
Thanks, Liz! This filling is really good. I call it jam but it’s thicker and less watery than jar jam from the store. Try it. You will be tempted to eat the filling by the spoonful, but save some for the biscotti. They are worth it.
These would be fantastic with my afternoon tea! SO yummy!
Very yummy sounding and they’re so pretty too!
Thank you, Chris! The fruit “jam” makes them unusual and really delicious. I hope you will try them.
Smile. I love hearing the creative progression of recipes, and these look so very good! Thank you for sharing. A lovely post to go along with my latte and cinnamon raisin bread. I hope you have a beautiful week!
Thank you, Monet! The sharing and inspiring is one of the best parts of blogging, I think.
You have a beautiful week as well!
This is so neat! I love biscotti and I never thought to use fig (or any type of jam) in them! Will have to try this soon
yum.
Jess, this filling is a very thick jam-like fig paste .realling. It is not liquidy like jam from a jar. If you try this with another jam make sure it is thick or I don’t think your biscotti will crisp.
I love fig newtons and biscotti, so your idea to combine the two is terrific! I love crispy cookies as well, so this will be a treat!
Marcie, the filling is so much like a fig newton. It surprised me how much I liked it. I hope you will give these a try and let me know what you think!
This sounds amazing, I am in love with all biscotti, would have never thought to add fig!
I agree about biscotti, Aimee. They are wonderful. This one gets softer over time and more cookie-like. It is so good with a cup of tea or a glass of milk! If you try it, please let me know what you think.
i have never seen a fig jam biscotti before, and i can only imagine how delicious it is! We can’t always find fresh figs here, but dried figs i can grab anytime, so i’m happy this uses them. You’re so right: biscotti are such a great gift to send b/c it’s almost like they have zero expiration date. I mean, eventually, but they give you plenty of time.
Thanks Shannon. I was concerned about the zero expiration date on a biscotti with fruit in it but my trial batch was still rather delicious after 4 weeks, no longer crisp, but delicious.
I am a fig newton lover! And a soft biscotti lover too! Crazy but true I don’t like them hard and crunchy. These are the best of both worlds!
Reeni, I think these are perfect for you. Give them a try. I think you’ll love them.
I’ve never thought to add fig to viscotti before! These are gorgeous and I sort of wish I had one right now to dunk into my tea.
I would hand you one if I could, Sally.
They are perfect with tea. You could add just chopped dried figs to biscotti, that works too, but the fig jam is better. 
I totally want to dip one of these in my coffee right now!
That is an excellent idea, Ashley! Why don’t you bake some and give it a try? Thanks for coming by!
That is hilarious about your hubby! I love fig anything! I am pinning these also!
Thanks, Chandra! If you like fig anything, you will LOVE these (and Ashley’s cake). The fig filling is amazing.
I am in loooove with figs and biscotti. This is absolutely amazing! I love this combo!
Thanks, Jen! You can just chop up some dry figs and add them to a biscotti batter but this fig jam filling is so delicious I think it makes them special.