Sugar Plums

(from Lucianolinda’s recipe box)

though neither sugar nor plums, these are what children used to have visions of.

Source: old English cook book ( up dated to modern appliances)

Serves 36 people

Categories: Candy

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shelled walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp. unrefined sea salt
  • zest of 1 orange
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1/4 tsp. ground coriander
  • 1 cup chopped pitted dates
  • 1/2 cup chopped un-sulphured apricots
  • 1/2 cup chopped pitted prunes
  • powdered unrefined cane sugar or unsweetened desiccated coconut (optional)

Directions

  1. Toss walnuts into a mixing bowl with 1/2 tsp. sea salt and add warm water to cover by 2 inches. Allow nuts to soak, covered, in salty water overnight between 8-12 hours. Drain nuts in a colander and rinse well. Put dry with kitchen towel.
  2. Place soaked nuts into food processor with the zest of one orange, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, coriander, chopped pitted dates, apricots and pitted prunes. Pulse mixture 3-4 apricots and pitted prunes. Pulse mixture 3-4 times to combine, then process the dried fruit, walnuts and spices until a paste forms- 4-5 times.
  3. Transfer paste to a mixing bowl and form sugar plums by rolling about 2 Tbsp. of paste in your palms until a ball forms. Dredge sugar plums in powdered sugar or unsweetened desiccated coconut.
  4. OR you can do it the old fashioned way by chopping everything with a large knife over and over until a paste forms.

  5. Variation: Substitute any nut or seed for walnuts, vary spices to your taste.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back