Rich frutti rolls

 

Ingredients

• 250g (8oz) mixture soft figs, stoned Medjool dates and soft, dried apricots (about 6 of each fruit)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger or ground mixed spice
• Finely grated zest of 1 orange and 6 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice Icing sugar, for dusting

For the pastry:

• 250g (8oz) plain flour
• 150g (5 oz) butter, chopped
• 60g (2oz) light muscovado sugar or caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 medium egg yolks

Method

1. To make the pastry: Put the flour and butter in a food processor and whizz to a fine-crumb stage. Add the sugar, vanilla and egg yolks and whizz again to bind the mixture, adding 1-2 teaspoons water, if necessary.
2. Knead lightly and flatten to an oblong, wrap in cling film and chill for about 30 minutes.
3. To make the filling: Put the fruits, spice, orange juice and zest, and the lemon juice into the food processor (no need to wash it after the pastry ingredients). Whizz the filling to a rough paste.
4. Set the oven to Gas Mark 5 or 190°C. Divide the pastry in half. Roll out one piece and trim to a strip about 35.5 x 13cm (14 x 5in). Spoon half the fruit filling down the strip, nearer to one side to a width of about 4cm (1½in). Fold the pastry over to make it look like a sausage roll. Press the edges of the pastry together and shape the filling neatly inside the pastry, then flatten it a little. Trim the pastry edge to neaten it. Cut each strip into 10 biscuits. Score the top of each one twice with a sharp knife.
5. Transfer them to a buttered baking sheet. Then, do the same with the rest of pastry and filling.
6. Bake the rolls for 12-15 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar.
7. The rolls will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container.