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The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

Sugarplums aren't made with plums any more. They're fruit and nut balls.

The recipe below, from AP, sounds marvelous, but it also sounds expensive and labor-intensive. I've included a second, simpler variation from a food blogger's Advent Calendar of holiday recipes below.

First, AP:

Sugarplums

Start to finish: 30 minutes; makes 30 sugarplums

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup pistachios
1 cup pitted dates
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup dried figs
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons rum or orange liqueur

In a wide, shallow bowl, combine the sugar, cardamom and cinnamon. Mix well, then set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the pecans until roughly chopped. Add the pistachios and pulse again until both nuts are finely chopped. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and set aside.

In the food processor, combine the dates, apricots and figs. Pulse briefly until roughly chopped. Add the raisins and cherries, then continue pulsing until the fruit is evenly chopped and begins to clump.

Return the nuts to the processor and add the rum or liqueur. Pulse until just mixed. If the mixture does not stick together, add additional rum or liqueur. A teaspoon at a time, roll the mixture into balls, then roll each ball in the sugar until well coated.

Sugarplums can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 1 month. If you layer the sugarplums, place a sheet of waxed paper between each layer.

Food blogger Miss Ginsu (of Brooklyn) has started her 2008 Advent Calendar right on top of last year's, so the reader starts with a trove of holiday recipes.

From Day 5: Sugarplums!, her recipe, as pictured above:

Sugarplums!
(Makes about 20)

Chopping the almonds and fruits ahead of time won't be necessary if you have a food processor. These treats keep well in a tin or a pretty box lined with parchment or wax paper and they make a nice gift. They could last up to a month, but you shouldn't need to find out, since they're tasty snacks and tend to disappear.

1/2 cup toasted almonds, chopped
6 oz dried figs (or dried prunes), roughly chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2-3/4 cup turbanado/raw sugar, for rolling

1. Combine toasted almonds, chopped fruits, cinnamon, cocoa and almonds in a food processor or mash with a mortar and pestle.

2. Mix until blended and paste-like. Add the honey, orange zest and extract. Pulse or stir until well mixed.

3. Pour the raw sugar in a small bowl (cereal bowls and soup dishes work well).

4. Scoop out teaspoons of the fig paste and roll in your hands to form 1-inch balls. Roll balls in sugar.

I'm not a fan of almond extract, so I might use vanilla (or rum).

Her Chocolate-Dipped Candied Oranges and Cranberry Cream (Cheese) Tart have legs, too.

And...I just found a third recipe for Sugar Plums, from food magazine Saveur, that uses orange zest, dried apricots and dates, and rolls the balls in powdered sugar (which just looks messy).

Historical note: Perhaps there were plums in December in Clement Moore's New York, but I doubt it. Nevertheless, here's a recipe for Traditional Sugarplums, made with plums.

Saveur says they were originally sugar-coated coriander, which sounds awful.

Wikipedia will blind you with history and links about Moore's (?) poem. The cover scans of many editions of the tale, beginning in 1825, at visitfromstnicholas.com are fascinating.

 Tags  A Visit from Saint Nicholas Clement Moore holiday recipes holidays recipes

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