Name: Anise-Scented Fig and Date Swirls
Cook time: 1 hr
Total time: 6 hr (includes chilling)
Yield: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup packed soft dried figs (8 oz), stemmed and coarsely chopped; 1 cup packed pitted dates (7 oz), trimmed and coarsely chopped; 1/3 cup water; 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons anise seeds, ground in an electric coffee/spice grinder; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened; 4 oz cream cheese at room temperature; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 large egg yolk; 1/4 cup granulated raw sugar such as turbinado or Demerara

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Anise-Scented Fig and Date SwirlsRomulo Yanes

You might be tempted to bake 2 sheets of cookies at a time in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Don't give in to this urge—the cookies must go in the middle of the oven to cook through and brown evenly.

Cooks' notes:

· Logs can be chilled up to 3 days.
· Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax or parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature, 1 week.

Recipe notes

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