Dried Fruit Butters

Dried fruit butters are thick and rich and not only make a perfect filling for certain pastries but they also taste great, simply spread on toast or biscuits, lavished over a layer of cream cheese.

Prune Butter:

Yield: about 2 ¼ cups

• 3 cups (packed) best quality dried pitted prunes
• Water to cover
• 1 tablespoon strained fresh lemon juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

1) To assemble the prune butter: Place the prunes in a 2 ½-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan with enough cold water to cover them and bring the water to a brisk bubble. Turn the heat down to low and simmer the prunes gently (uncovered) until soft, about 10 minutes (timing will depend largely on their original suppleness). Drain the prunes, reserving 1 tablespoon of the poaching liquid and place the fruit with the lemon juice, poaching liquid and sugar into the bowl of your food processor fitted with the steel blade. Process until smooth, then use a rubber spatula to transfer the puree to a bowl and stir in the ground walnuts. Let the prune butter cool before storing in the refrigerator, in a well-sealed tub.

Apricot Butter:

Yield: about 1 ½ to 2 cups

• 2 cups best quality dried whole pitted apricots
• Water to cover
• ¼ cup (firmly packed) light brown sugar
• 1 ½ tablespoons Amaretto (almond flavored liquor), or use lemon juice as a substitute
• ¼ cup finely chopped toasted blanched (skinned) almonds

1) To assemble the apricot butter: Place the apricots in a 2 ½-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan with enough cold water to cover them and bring the water to a brisk bubble. Reduce the heat to low and simmer apricots gently (uncovered) until soft, 10 to 15 minutes (timing will depend largely on their original suppleness). Drain the apricots and place them into the bowl of the food processor, fitted with the steel blade. Add the brown sugar and the amaretto or lemon juice and process until smooth. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the puree to a bowl and stir in the ground toasted almonds. Let the apricot butter cool before storing in the refrigerator, in a well-sealed tub.

Fig Butter:

Yield: 3 ½ to 4 cups

• 4 ½ generous cups whole Calimyrna figs (2 ¼ pounds), stems removed
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups orange juice
• 4 tablespoons reserved simmering liquid
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons minced lemon zest (colored part only with no white pith)
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup finely ground toasted macadamia nuts

1) To assemble the fig butter: Place the stemmed figs in a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan along with the water and orange juice. Bring the liquid to a brisk bubble then reduce the heat to low and simmer the figs, with the cover ajar, until tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom. Drain the figs in a large sieve that's positioned over another bowl, to catch the poaching liquid. Place the fruit into the bowl of a food processor, fitted with the steel blade and add 4 tablespoons reserved poaching liquid, discarding the rest. Add to the work bowl, the vanilla, sugar, lemon zest and salt and, after pulsing to chop everything into small pieces, turn the machine on until processed until fairly smooth. Add the ground nuts and process again until incorporated. Use a rubber spatula to transfer the fig butter to a bowl and let it cool before storing it in the refrigerator, in a well-sealed tub.