Description
Sweet sugar plums dance with nostalgic Christmas charm, bringing festive memories to life. Nutty, fruity, and elegantly spiced, these traditional treats offer delightful warmth you’ll savor with pure holiday joy.
Ingredients
Scale
Dried Fruits:
- 1 cup (150 g/5.3 ounces) dried plums (prunes), chopped
- 1 cup (150 g/5.3 ounces) dried apricots, chopped
Nuts:
- ½ cup (75 g/2.6 ounces) almonds, finely chopped
- ½ cup (75 g/2.6 ounces) walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
Spices and Sweeteners:
- ¼ cup (60 ml/2 fluid ounces) honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ cup (50 g/1.8 ounces) granulated sugar (for coating)
Instructions
- Combine dried plums, apricots, almonds, and walnuts in a food processor, creating a uniformly chopped mixture with a slightly textured consistency.
- If a food processor is unavailable, carefully mince the ingredients using a sharp knife, ensuring each component is cut into small, even pieces.
- Transfer the chopped mixture to a spacious mixing bowl, preparing for the next stage of preparation.
- Gradually incorporate honey and orange zest into the nut and fruit blend, stirring thoroughly to distribute flavors evenly.
- Sprinkle ground cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg over the mixture, gently folding to integrate the warm spices completely.
- Roll the fragrant mixture between your palms, forming small, compact spheres approximately the size of a large marble.
- Generously coat each sugar plum by rolling them in fine powdered sugar, ensuring a complete and even coverage.
- Arrange the finished sugar plums on a parchment-lined tray, allowing them to set and develop a delicate, sugary exterior.
- Refrigerate the confections for approximately 30 minutes to help them firm up and enhance their delightful texture.
- Store the sugar plums in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Notes
- Toast nuts beforehand to enhance their nutty flavor and create a deeper, more complex taste profile.
- Ensure dried fruits are pitted and free from any stems or hard bits before processing to maintain a smooth texture.
- Use a quick pulse method in the food processor to control the consistency, preventing the mixture from becoming too pasty or losing its chunky texture.
- For dietary variations, swap nuts with seeds like pumpkin or sunflower for nut-free versions, or use alternative dried fruits based on personal preference.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 162
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg