Day 11: Sugar Plums

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads...

It may not be the night before Christmas and the time spent snuggled in my bed has been limited, but with all the Christmas spirit in the air my head has been filled with dancing sugar plums. So I decided to look them up and see if there was such a thing. Turns out, there is! They are little balls of dried fruits and nuts blended together, then rolled in sugar to give them a little sparkle. And if you are going to dance through the heads of little sleeping children, you must have a little sparkle to keep them charmed...that goes for Stina too...

Sugar Plums

makes about 32

• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1/2 cup raw red walnuts
• 1/2 cup dried dates, chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cherries
• 1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp. orange zest
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• dash of ground nutmeg
• 3 TBS orange juice
• about 1 cup organic cane sugar (for rolling)

Pulse nuts in food processor until finely chopped. Add dried fruit, orange zest, and spice; pulse until well combined. Pour in orange juice 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing until the mixture sticks together. Roll about 1/2 tablespoon mixture in palms to create little balls, then roll in sugar until well coated. Keeps covered in fridge for about a week...if they last that long...

Roomie Reactions...

Mady: "Mmm...these are really good. I like the cherries a lot."

Stina: "These are really good! Why haven't I had these before? They're like everything I like together!"