Twelve Days of Christmas: Sugar Plums

These do dance in your head

Despite the title, these little treats are quite dense and spicy, but not overly sweet. Feel free to alter the fruit mix. A number of recipes only used dates and apricots. Most recipes we saw called for using a food processor, but we don’t have one and were worried the blender would gum up on the first pulse. If you have the same dilemma just remember to chop the fruit very fine.

Sugar Plums

• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped very fine
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pitted dates
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dried plums
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dried cherries
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar (aka confectioners’ or icing sugar)

Combine nuts, fruits and spice in a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, mix in honey stirring to coat evenly. Pinch off teaspoon-sized balls and roll to shape. Roll balls in sugar to coat. Refrigerate in layers between sheets of waxed paper.