..Here’s a lighter version with a simple homemade jam.
INGREDIENTS
Pastry Dough
100 gr. room temperature butter (slightly less than 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup fine light brown sugar
2 egg yolks
few drops vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups spelt flour (or all purpose)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Dried Fig Filling
10 – 12 dried figs (thinly sliced)
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp honey
grated rind of a lemon or orange
juice of one lemon or orange
optional 2 tbsp. orange liquor or orange extract
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
PROCEDURE for pastry
1. Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy.
2. Beat in the egg yolks. Set aside.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together.
4. Mix the dry ingredients into the egg/sugar mixture until a dough is formed.
5. Knead briefly and form into a disk. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for a few minutes.
For the Fig Walnut Filling
In the meantime place the chopped figs into a small saucepan with the rest of the filling ingredients. Bring to a gentle boil covered for about 20 minutes until the figs are soft and mixture is thickened. Cool slightly and roughly blend the mixture in a food processor adding the chopped walnuts in the end (Mixture should be thick like jam). Refrigerate until ready to use. When ready place the mixture into a pastry bag cutting the tip.
Assembly
1. Remove pastry disk from the fridge and mold it into a log. Cut it into 6 slices. Roll each slice into cylinder.
2. Roll out each cylinder between two pieces of parchment paper into an elongated rectangle 4×10 inches.
3. Peel off the top piece of parchment paper and trim the edges.
4. Pipe the fig mixture into the middle of each rectangle top to bottom.
5. With the help of the parchment paper fold the pastry dough over the filling and seal the edges.
6. Flatten the rectangle slightly and cut into 1 1/2 inch (4 cm) pieces. Transfer them on to a parchment lined cookie sheet.
7. Bake the Newtons at 180degC (350degF) for about 12-14 minutes until golden. Cool them on a pastry rack.
8. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
...a healthier version with homemade fig jam with an addition of walnuts