It’s fall — time to appreciate fruits at their next level. Dried fruits can be just as nutritious and delicious as fresh fruits … in a highly concentrated form. They also can be rehydrated and plumped up in any number of tantalizing ways. Need more encouragement to focus on dried fruits for fall and winter? Dried fruits are shelf-stable and easy to incorporate into baking since they don’t bring lots of their own moisture into a batter. The possibilities are practically endless; here are a few to try during this dried fruit season.
Cranberry Pecan Scones
Recipe Name: Cranberry Pecan Scones Serving: Yield: 10 scones
Author: Tammy Algood
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup (1 stick) very cold unsalted butter
- ½ heaping cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 egg, beaten
- ⅓ cup cream or half-and-half
- Milk for brushing
- Granulated sugar for sprinkling*
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir in the brown sugar. Grate the butter into the flour mixture using a cheese grater. Using a pastry cutter or 2 forks, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
- Add the cranberries and pecans, mixing just until combined. Make a well in the center and add the egg and cream or half-and-half. Mix well until the dough forms.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 4 times. Divide the dough into 2 equal sized balls. On the floured surface, roll out each dough ball into a circle ½ inch thick. Cut into wedges and place on the prepared baking sheet ½ inch apart. Repeat with the remaining dough ball.
- Brush the tops of the wedges with milk and sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar. Bake 12 to 13 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and serve with clotted cream, sour cream or preserves.
Cherry Almond Biscotti
Recipe Name: Cherry Almond Biscotti Serving: Yield: 8 servings
Author: Tammy Algood
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup slivered or sliced almonds
- ½ cup dried cherries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and extract. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center and add the egg mixture. Beat at medium-low speed until the dough forms. Stir in the almonds and cherries. Divide the dough in half and shape into logs, placing each on a baking sheet.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until firm. Remove from the oven but leave the oven on. Slip the parchment paper onto a wire rack for the logs to cool 10 minutes. Transfer each log to a cutting board and slice on the diagonal with a serrated knife.
- Place the parchment paper back on each baking sheet. Arrange the slices on the baking sheets and bake 10 minutes. Turn the slices over and bake another 10 minutes until golden-brown and crunchy. Let cool on the wire racks before storing in an airtight container.
Cherry Nut Bark
Recipe Name: Cherry Nut Bark Serving: Yield: 3¼ pounds
Author: Tammy Algood
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups dried cherries
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 (24-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
- 6 (2-ounce) squares vanilla candy coating
- 1¼ cups chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Line a jellyroll pan with waxed paper and set aside. Place the cherries and water in a small glass bowl and microwave 2 minutes on high power. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan over low heat, melt the morsels and candy coating. When completely melted, stir in the cherries and nuts.
- Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Spiked Cranberry Turkey Wraps
Recipe Name: Spiked Cranberry Turkey Wraps Serving: Yield: 6 servings
Author: Tammy Algood
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup bourbon or apple cider
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- 7 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup finely shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 6 (8- or 10-inch) flour tortillas
- 1½ pounds sliced deli turkey
- 6 tablespoons chopped toasted pecans
- ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Place the bourbon or cider and dried cranberries in a small saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, set aside to cool completely, then drain.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, mix together the cream cheese, Cheddar and green onions. Evenly spread on each tortilla and top with turkey, then the cranberry mixture, pecans and parsley. Roll and wrap each in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and heat for 7 minutes. Serve warm.
Warm Raisin Apple Dressing
Recipe Name: Warm Raisin Apple Dressing Serving: Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Tammy Algood
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1½ cups finely chopped yellow onion
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Newtown Pippin or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 cup chopped dried apples
- ⅓ cup golden raisins
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- ½ cup soft breadcrumbs
- 1 cup apple cider
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
- Add the fresh apples and cook 4 minutes longer. Add the dried apples, raisins, sage and breadcrumbs, stirring to combine. Add the cider and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and season with the salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Fruited Breakfast Bread
Recipe Name: Fruited Breakfast Bread Serving: Yield: 1 loaf
Author: Tammy Algood
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1½ cups milk
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1¼ cups golden raisins or chopped dates
- 1 cup peeled and chopped Golden Delicious apples
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan and set aside.
- In mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cinnamon. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the eggs and milk, beating well. Gradually add the flour mixture. Fold in the pecans, raisins or dates, and apples.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 1 hour or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Immediately remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
