All Dried Up and Ready to Bake

Dried fruits have obvious practical advantages over their fresh counterparts--year-round availability and easy, long-term storage at home. In addition, their flavors are intensified by the dehydration process; they add a nice sweet-tart edge to whatever they’re cooked with.

And these days, cooks aren’t limited to using only the traditional prunes, apricots, figs, dates and raisins. Newcomers include cherries (both sweet and sour), apples, pears, peaches and cranberries. If you can’t find what you want in a supermarket or gourmet food shop, consider health-food stores, which often have the most varied assortment of dried fruits.

Although dried fruits would seem to be of consistent quality, buying them still takes some care. Be sure that you purchase slightly shiny, soft and flexible dried fruits. Wrap dried fruits airtight in plastic bags (if purchased boxed, put the box into a plastic bag and twist-tie firmly), then store them in a cool, dry place (or refrigerator) as long as six months. Beyond that, freezing is the choice.

Traditional recipes for oatmeal cookies, date pudding and prune coffee cake are delicious, but don’t hesitate to vary them with a different choice of dried fruits. In substituting dried fruits, it’s important to keep the sweetness of the specified dried fruit in mind, adjusting the sugar content of the recipe as necessary.

Served warm, this simple, straightforward coffee cake will uplift a leisurely weekend breakfast or brunch. It’s especially good served with a dollop of creme fraiche. Small prunes give the best coverage on the cake.

SPICED ORANGE-PRUNE COFFEE CAKE

1 1/4 cups pitted prunes, packed (about 7 1/2 ounces)

1/2 cup orange juice

Grated zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 large egg

2 tablespoons sour cream or light sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine, chilled and diced

Simmer prunes in orange juice and orange zest until most juice is absorbed, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Cream 1/2 cup soft butter and 1/2 cup sugar with mixer or processor fitted with metal blade. Add 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon cloves and egg. Mix until smooth. Blend in sour cream and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined.

Transfer batter to greased 9-inch springform pan. Smooth out with spatula. Arrange prunes evenly over surface. Drizzle any remaining orange juice mixture over prunes.

Combine remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon cloves. Sprinkle over prunes. Dot with 2 tablespoons diced cold butter.

Bake in center of 350-degree oven until well browned and wood pick inserted in center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes. Use knife to loosen cake from sides of pan. Remove sides. Serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

435 calories; 102 mg sodium; 89 mg cholesterol; 21 grams fat; 61 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams protein; 0.8 grams fiber; 43% calories from fat.

These crisp cookies are loaded with tart cranberries and apricots, a perfect balance with the sweet oatmeal cookie. Add nuts if you like. Decrease the sugar in the recipe, if you are substituting raisins or dates for the specified fruits.

OATMEAL COOKIES WITH DRIED CRANBERRIES AND APRICOTS

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup rolled oats

3/4 cup dried cranberries, snipped into small bits

3/4 cup apricots, snipped into small bits

Cream butter and sugars with mixer or processor fitted with metal blade. Add egg and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Add flour, baking soda, salt and oats. Mix until just combined. Use wooden spoon to stir in cranberries and apricots.

Drop batter by tablespoons onto lightly greased baking sheets, spacing cookies 2 1/2 inches apart (they will spread to about 3 1/2 inches in diameter).

Bake on center rack of 350-degree oven until medium-brown, about 11 minutes. Let cool 1 minute on baking sheet. Use metal spatula to transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Can be kept several days stored in airtight tin at room temperature or frozen for as long as 3 months. Makes about 28 cookies.

Each serving contains about:

76 calories; 25 mg sodium; 16 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.1 grams fiber; 44% calories from fat.

It’s no wonder that recipes for date puddings are found in American cookbooks as early as the turn of the century. They’re toffee-sweet and comforting in their cake-like texture. Here, dates help create a butterscotch flavor yet they actually are a mystery ingredient, pureed beyond recognition. This is an extremely satisfying dessert served warm in small portions, with a dollop of creme fraiche. The rum can be omitted; just increase vanilla to two teaspoons.

WARM BUTTERSCOTCH-DATE PUDDING-CAKE

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

1 cup pitted dates, about 5 1/2 ounces

2/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup milk (regular or 1%)

2 tablespoons molasses

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon dark rum

2 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Creme fraiche, for serving

Heat butter in 10-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add dates, sugar and milk. Let mixture bubble vigorously until syrup thickens, about 4 minutes, stirring very often. Transfer mixture to processor fitted with metal blade. Process until smooth. Add molasses, vanilla, rum and eggs. Process to combine. Add flour, baking soda and salt. Process just until combined. Do not overprocess. Transfer batter to lightly greased 6-cup souffle dish.

Bake on center rack of 325-degree oven until well browned and wood pick inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Do not overbake. Let cool 20 minutes before serving. Pudding will deflate. Serve warm. Pass creme fraiche in separate dish. Makes 6 servings.

Each serving, without creme fraiche, contains about:

303 calories; 136 mg sodium; 88 mg cholesterol; 8 grams fat; 55 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.7 grams fiber; 24% calories from fat.