Italian Fruit Cookies

Dough Ingredients

3 egg yolks
4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sugar

Filling Ingredients

1 string dried figs
1/2 lb. raisins
1/2 lb. mixed candied fruits
1/2 lb. dried cherries or cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
8 oz. honey
8 oz. water

Icing Ingredients
3 cups of confectioner's sugar
1 tablespoon of shortening Milk

Preparation Dough:

Mix flour, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl and set aside. Cream shortening and sugar until creamy. Add egg yolks and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients alternately with milk until well blended. Dough should be soft--not dry. Chill one hour.

Filling:

Remove figs from the string and cut away the hard stem. Soak in hot water for 20 minutes. Process in food processor until smooth. Combine figs, raisins, fruit, cloves, cinnamon, honey and water in a heavy saucepan and cook until liquid is absorbed into the ingredients. Cool slightly. Preheat oven at 350. Divide dough in four pieces. Roll dough into a 5" x 12" rectangle. Don't worry if size varies. Spread filling along the edge closest to you and roll over once and tuck under (not jelly-roll style). Cut away any excess dough. Make sure ends overlap underneath. Cut the roll into 1-1/2" size cookies. Bake on parchment papered baking sheets or Silpat until bottoms are golden brown. Icing: Cream the confectioner's sugar and shortening until blended. Add enough milk until icing spreads smoothly without running. Top with colored candy nonpareil. Makes 5 dozen.