Balls and Walnuts
more than you ever wanted to know
HERMITS!
Those of you who are Balls and Walnuts stalwarts know that published recipes are for . . . jeez, almost said peasants, but that’s pretty classist of me. Published recipes are for beginners. WE ARE NOT BEGINNERS. We are intuitive, creative daredevils in the kitchen. Sometimes you end up with a disaster. And sometimes you end up with a masterpiece.
BEHOLD.
Now stroll on over to the inspiration recipe, King Arthur Flour’s Good ‘n Chewy Hermits, and look at their photo. Those things look like saltillo tiles, not hermits. Y’all are looking at what a hermit should look like.
Feel free to try their recipe, but I’m here to tell you that these sumbitches are tastier and healthier (not healthy. Healthier) than the King’s very own.
Ingredients
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature (one stick)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger (powder)
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1.5 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups of figs, trimmed, chopped, hydrated (see instructions)
1/2 cup golden raisins
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped pine nuts
I suspect you could substitute regular whole wheat flour without any problems. You could also vary what dried fruits you use, although I like the fact that dried figs are less sweet than dates, for example. The nuts are also up to you — 100% walnuts would be fine, as would hazelnuts or macadamias. Peanuts would be a little weird. I had some pine nuts in the freezer so that’s what I went with, and I think they add an interesting dimension. Pistachios would also be interesting (I’d probably use the same proportion, 3:1 walnuts to pistachios).
Instructions
1. Trim the nasty stems off the dried figs and chop into chunks about the size of two or three raisins. Place in a 2-cup measuring cup, then top off the cup with the raisins. Over this, pour 1/3 cup of boiling water. Cover with saran wrap, and shake it carefully to wet all of the figs. Feel free to do this in a bowl, since it’s easier to stir the fruit. Let this cool to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with nonstick cooking spray.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together brown sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in the spices, salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined. Add the flour one cup at a time. This will look very dry — don’t worry. Add the molasses and continue to beat until combined. Finally, add the fruit with the water it’s been soaking in and continue to mix at low speed until well combined.
4. Press the mix into the 9 x 13 inch pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the hermits begin to pull away from the edges. Cool on a rack. Cut into bars once everything is at room temperature.
5. According to the King, these will keep at room temperature for several days, longer if you freeze them.
Enjoy!
D.
