Description
Delightful sugar plums recipe blends traditional holiday treats with festive cheer. Nuts, dried fruits, and warming spices create a nostalgic confection perfect for seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (150 g/5.3 oz) dried plums (prunes), chopped
- 1 cup (150 g/5.3 oz) dried apricots, chopped
- ½ cup (75 g/2.6 oz) almonds, finely chopped
- ½ cup (75 g/2.6 oz) walnuts or pecans, finely chopped
- ¼ cup (60 ml/2 fl oz) honey
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ cup (50 g/1.8 oz) granulated sugar (for coating)
Instructions
- Preparation: Pulverize dried plums, apricots, almonds, and walnuts in a food processor until achieving a uniform yet slightly textured consistency, alternatively mincing meticulously with a sharp knife.
- Flavor Infusion: In a spacious mixing bowl, blend the chopped ingredients with honey and orange zest, thoroughly integrating these aromatic components to create a harmonious mixture.
- Spice Incorporation: Sprinkle ground cinnamon and nutmeg over the mixture, gently folding to distribute the warm, fragrant spices evenly throughout the blend.
- Shaping: Craft compact spheres resembling large marbles by rolling the mixture between palms, ensuring each sugar plum maintains a consistent, rounded form.
- Coating: Generously enrobe each confection in fine powdered sugar, rotating to achieve complete and uniform coverage that creates a delicate, crystalline exterior.
- Setting: Arrange the sugar plums on a parchment-lined tray, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to solidify their texture and enhance their distinctive flavor profile.
- Storage: Transfer the completed confections to an airtight container, strategically layering with parchment paper to prevent adhesion and maintain their delectable quality.
Notes
- Choose Precise Chopping: Use a food processor for uniform texture or carefully mince ingredients with a sharp knife to ensure even-sized pieces.
- Boost Flavor Balance: Gently fold honey, orange zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg to distribute warm spices evenly without overpowering the natural fruit and nut flavors.
- Perfect Rolling Technique: Roll sugar plums between palms with light pressure to create compact, marble-sized spheres that hold together without crumbling.
- Smart Storage Strategy: Refrigerate sugar plums for 30 minutes to firm texture and use parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking when storing in an airtight container.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 188
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg