Don't Call It Fruitcake Bites 3.0

 

YIELD 20 small "cupcake" size bites

TIME NEEDED: days to soak fruit, at least an hour for baking


EQUIPMENT

• 32oz jar with a tight lid
• 20 cupcake cups

INGREDIENTS

• 3 cups total assortment of dried fruit, bigger fruits chopped
  suggested options: dates, apricots, cherries, raisins, cranberries, figs, prunes 
• 8oz Amaretto (or other liquor)

• 3/8 cup candied orange or citron peel and/or crystalized ginger
• 1 cup sifted all-purpose flour or almond flour
• 1 teaspoon double acting baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup shelled pistachios
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup shelled pecans or walnuts
OR 2.5 cups nuts total

PREPARATION

1. Coarsely chop dried fruit, final measure (dates plus others) is 3 cups.
2. Put in a 32oz jar and add liquor.
3. Let soak 2 to 3 days, turning and shaking jar periodically.
4. Keep rotating that jar!
5. Heat oven to 300 degrees.
6. Combine fruit in a bowl with orange peel and its candied friends.
7. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt.
8. Sift this over fruit. Toss to coat.
9. In medium bowl, beat eggs until frothy.
10. Beat in sugar.
11. Pour over fruit.
12. With wooden spoon, mix well.
13. Fold in nuts, mix until coated with batter.
14. Divide mixture into paper cups that have been sprayed with PAM.
    (you can place the cups directly on a cookie sheet, no need for a muffin tin)
15. Bake for about 60 minutes, until tops of bites look dry but not brown.
16. When bites are done, let stand for 5 minutes.

If not eating right away, wrap bites in plastic wrap. They will keep for two months in refrigerator.
If storing, sprinkle with more liquor an hour before serving (optional, I haven't ever bothered).

Previous versions of this recipe, with links to sources:

2.0 from 1/3/2022

1.0 from 3/21/2020

Linking up with:
Is This Mutton

Shelbee On the Edge