Sugarplums
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads…
I would love to have visions of dancing sugar-plums in my head, but I don’t know what they look like! And of course, there’s really no such thing, from a fruit standpoint. Ages ago I came across a recipe for Sugarplums on the Food Network website, and I was intrigued.
Turns out there have been candies/confections called Sugarplums around for a long time, and they’re all similar to this recipe, with nuts and dried fruits, rolled into balls.
So there’s no real sugar plum, but nonetheless this recipe was something I knew I had to make!
Best of all, I had 7-year old help with these!
Sugarplums
6 ounces Brazilnuts
6 ounces dried plums
4 ounces dried apricots
4 ounces dried figs, stemmed
1/4 cup powdered sugar, sieved
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground anise seed
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/4 cup honey
Swedish pearl sugar
Weigh out the Brazilnuts and all of the dried fruit, then place it all in the jar of a food processor. Pulse until on the coarse side, but not too coarse. You need all of it to stick together.
Place the mixture in a bowl and add the powdered sugar with the poppy seeds, cinnamon, cardamom, anise seeds, and fennel seeds. Give it all a stir and set aside.
When you are ready to finish the Sugarplums, have the nut-fruit mixture and two latex gloves handy. Place the Swedish pearl sugar in a small bowl. Also have a rack handy on which to place the Sugarplums. Put on the gloves and begin mixing everything together. Roll the sticky mixture into balls and dip in the sugar. Then place on the rack.
Continue with the remaining fruit and nut mixture. This recipe made about 20 Sugarplums, until everyone starts sampling them.
These are really sweet. I don’t think there’s any getting around it, because you need the dried fruits, the powdered sugar, and the stickiness of the honey. Definitely make these for your favorite sweets lover!
About the Author: Chef Mimi
Now THIS is a Christmas treat!! I’d love them for sure!!!
And, they freeze really well!
I always wondered what a sugar plum was. Very Christmasy photos have here. How can you go wrong with a helper like that.
I know! She’s amazing. She’s reading and knows basic math concepts so it was fun for her. She did poop out about half way through tho….
I guess are really fun to make! And the combination of spices and dried nuts is unique 😋
I thought so too. And you can change up the ingredients, which I’ve always loved!
Very nice recipe, they look great!
Thanks! And they’re so easily changed up.
1. Amazon, of course. 2. I freeze any that weren’t eaten right away. 3. No, because I don’t let them dry out. But I also think there’s enough of the wet/sticky ingredients in there that they wouldn’t just shrivel up fast. I’d at least put them in a ziploc and put it in the fridge.
Freddie would have fun making these as well. Charlotte loved using the scale!
Now we know! Thanks for the information and the lovely recipe Mimi!
These were fun, and with a kiddo just learning math concepts, the scale was a handy tool for her!
So festive and pretty.
Thank you! Really easy and fun, which is my style when it comes to making treats!
What a fun recipe! I was confused about sugar plums when I was a kid — thought they were an actual fruit. These are better. Much, much better. :-)
Well, it really is confusing, especially when you think sugar plums are also fairies!
Now I know what sugar plums are. Did your little helper enjoy the treat?
She and everyone else in the house! I was left with just the few in the final photo, and those I froze!
I wouldn’t be able to resist dipping them in really dark chocolate!
I like the spice combination. Tasty little morsels. :))
Oh, that would be a nice touch!
That sounds like a truly magical treat. I’m definitely a fan of this interpretation!
If you google them, they’re all about like this – just sticky balls!
Yeah! That are kinda healthy!!!
I saw pearl sugar in The Netherlands but didn’t buy any as I could not decide if I would ever use it. And now I could have! These look so pretty for a Christmas feast table :)
I got mine from Amazon, so you an still get some!
these sound great mimi. and how nice to have a helper. i do love a recipe that calls for brazil nuts. so rare these days.
They aren’t a popular nut, are they? I wonder why?!
Well, stuff my stocking! These look beautiful. GREG
Thank you Greg!
I remember marking a bazillion sugarplums for a Nutcracker Tea fundraiser one year. It was at this point that I realized that they were actually very similar to Alice B. Toklas’ Hashish Fudge. The nuts and spicing are a little different, and yours doesn’t include cannabis sativa, but it’s the same idea,,, Wondering now if that is how ETA Hoffmann saw his sugar plum fairies,,,
Ha! That’s very funny! I those were more like brownies, but it’s been a verrrrry long time!
You are so welcome. the mixture can be varied, for the sake of just different fruit flavors as well as colors. But you know that!
Perfect! Cause it’s coming fast!
What I like is that they’re not terribly unhealthy, like many bons bons!
These look like a delicious and healthy snack! Great on a dessert cookie platter!
Thanks! Definitely healthier than most holiday treats!