Day 8 of “The 12 Days Of Christmas Music” & “Sicilian Fig Cookies"

We consider Christmas as the encounter, the great encounter, the historical encounter, the decisive encounter, between God and mankind. He who has faith knows this truly; let him rejoice….. Pope Paul VI 

Welcome to Day 8 of “The 12 Days Of Christmas Music.” I hope that you enjoyed yesterday’s post, “Oh Holy Night.” Just to remind some of my readers that have just stopped by what I am doing, everyday for the next 4 days I will post a Christmas song, and share a holiday treat, or just a favorite recipe that I think may go with that song, all leading up to “Christmas Day!” This has been an incredible year! I want to say thank you to my readers, as we prepare for the most joyous time of the year! (Don’t forget to come back tomorrow!)

As we continue with Christmas carols, another one of my favorites comes to mind, which is called “Joy To The World.” A popular Christmas carol that was first published in 1719 by English hymn writer Isaac Watts. This carol was based on Psalm 98 in the Bible. Watts wrote the words of “Joy to the World” to glorifying Christ’s triumphant return. Only the second half of Watts’ lyrics are still used today. The music was adapted and arranged to Watts’ lyrics by Lowell Mason in 1839 from an older melody which was then believed to have originated from Handel. As of the late 20th century, “Joy to the World” was the most published Christmas hymn in North America. 
   

Day 8: “Joy To The World”

Verse 1:
Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

Verse 2:
Joy to the world! the Saviour reigns;
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills, and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy.

Verse 3:
No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

Verse 4:
He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

These cookies are fun to create and very colorful, in true Sicilian fashion. To me baking these cookies mean “Buon Natale” or “Merry Christmas” even if you are not Italian. Hope you enjoy! 

“Sicilian Fig Cookies”

Photo, courtesy of Daniela Messina

Dough Ingredients:
4 cups unbleached, All-Purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
2 cups dried figs, soaked in water
2 cups dried dates, pitted (About 14 dates)
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup orange marmalade
2/3 cup walnuts or almonds, coarsely chopped
1 large egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Colored sprinkles

Directions:
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a large bowl. Add the sugar and stir well. Cut in the shortening with a fork and work the mixture until it looks like corn meal. In a bowl, beat the egg, vanilla, and milk together. Add to the flour mixture and work the mixture with your hands into a rough dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 5 minutes, or until smooth. The dough will be soft. Cut the dough into 4 pieces, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and chill for 45 minutes.

To make the filling: grind the figs, dates, and raisins in a food processor until coarse; or coarsely chop. Place the mixture in a bowl, add the honey, cinnamon, marmalade, and nuts, then mix well. The mixture will be thick. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.

Directions:
Divide the dough into quarters and work with 1 piece of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough covered. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to a 12-inch square. Cut the dough into 4-X-3-inch rectangles, and spoon 2 tablespoons of the filling mixture down the center of each rectangle. Carefully fold over the long edges of each rectangle to meet in the center, then pinch the seam to close it securely, and turn the cookie seam side down. Pinch the ends closed and fold the ends under. Shape the cookies into crescents and place seam side down on the cookie sheets. Make 2 or 3 diagonal slits in the top of each crescent with scissors. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with colored sprinkles. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.

Note: You may eliminate the egg wash and make a confectioners' sugar glaze; when the cookies are still warm, drizzle the glaze over them and sprinkle with the colored sprinkles.  Yield: about 4 dozen.

Till Next Time……………………………….......................................

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