Fig Newtons. A healthy fig puree under a less healthy but also delicious soft wheaty dough. A classic cookie, for which I have loads of recipes conducted by Dieter Schorner from a fellow student at French Culinary Institute. 

Closely related in the cookie world, Mahmoul,(date stuffed confection), or even cucidati from Italy closely resemble this American icon. This is so simple a recipe, and I basically followed it straight through, save for changing up the white flour with some white whole wheat and whole wheat for a guiltless health reasoning. The filling is just figs, water, sugar and lemon, juice and zest. I changed up the acid, adding fig balsamic along with the zest.

Careful, once you had one you won't stop.

250g Butter
150 sugar
1egg
1yolk
pinch salt
440 A.P. Flour
Cream butter sugar, add eggs
add flour and salt.

Filling
450 dried figs
100 sugar
200 water
1 lemon, juice and zest

Cover figs, sugar, lemon zest and juice with water. Bring to boil, simmer covered, cook till soft, you may need to add more water. Puree, and cool.

Pre-heat oven to 375 F

9×14 inch sheet pan with silpat or parchment.

Roll out into a rectangle, say 9"x 14" or half sheet pan size leaving dough about a 1/4 inch thick. then divide into three bands equal width, say 21/2". spread the filling down the middle of each band, fold over so edges meet. Turn over onto silpat or parchment lined sheet pan or cookie pan. Cut Newtons into inch and a half or two inch cookies. Bake at 375 F for about 25 minutes till just golden brown.

Cool and serve.