Dried fruits are a great ingredient to keep handy in your pantry, ready to use at any moment. They are so versatile, as they can be used in cakes, muffins, granola, kugels, and so much more. Healthier than chocolate chips, they are the perfect throw-in for so many recipes. Here are 15 amazing dessert recipes to help you re-purpose those dried fruits you have leftover from Tu B'Shevat!
This beautiful bark combines delicious dried fruits and nuts for an elegant but simple dessert, treat or gift. Try it with your favorite combination of dried fruits and nuts for something different.
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BREAD KUGEL WITH DRIED FRUIT AND SUNDRIED TOMATOES
The first bread kugels made 800 years ago probably didn’t have more than a few raisins in them! They definitely didn’t have sun-dried tomatoes since tomatoes were brought to Europe from the Americas in the 16th century! This recipe combines many of the flavors and foods found in Spain and Portugal (the home of Sephardic Jews) with the classic technique for making a bread kugel.
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NO-BAKE PEANUT BUTTER GRANOLA BARS
Perfect for breakfast, dessert or an afternoon snack, these granola bars are healthy and addictive with their delicious flavor and texture.
This healthy fresh and dried fruit galette combines apples and blueberries with dried apricots and dates, all baked into a guilt-free dough that is made with whole wheat and spelt flours. You can substitute other dried fruit and other berries in the filling.
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In Baghdad they used to bang the dates with a mortar and pestle with the walnuts to form a nice mix that my mother would roll into balls.
ALSATIAN PEAR KUGEL WITH PRUNES
Bosc pears and Italian blue plums (dried for use in winter) are fruits that were most often put into kugel. This very old Alsatian Shabbat kugel uses leftover bread that is soaked in water, squeezed to remove any excess moisture, and then mixed with the dried or fresh fruit and left to stew in the oven overnight. Some, like this version, include onions, which add a savory dimension to the sweetness of the fruit and the dough.
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QUICK AND EASY HOMEMADE GRANOLA
Dried fruits and nuts mixed with oats make the perfect granola for your breakfast, snack or any time.
Nobody will suspect you didn't spend half an hour peeling and slicing apples! The fresh, tart cranberries will totally throw them off, and they're the perfect balance to the super sweet pie filling.
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A lovely cake with dried fruit and a subtle taste of eggnog.
STICKY FIG ROLLS WITH DATES & CURRANTS
A lovely addition to your Break Fast menu, this super simple recipe is built on a buttery, biscuit-like base and showcases a medley of Fall fruit favorites and a touch of brown sugar and spice, all “rolled” up in a delicious sticky-sweet package. A distant cousin of the cinnamon roll, the Sticky Fig Roll offers a beautiful fragrant sweetness, as opposed to sugary sweetness.
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A yummy dessert snack with almonds, chocolate, cranberries and more.
The combination of apples and figs in a crisp is old world with modern flair. The flavors will linger long after the last bite is finished.
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EASY OVERNIGHT APPLE DATE DANISH
You can make the dough and filling the night before and set up the cake after the fast ends or bake the day before. Either way, this is a delicious and impressive looking dessert. We don't have to tell anyone how easy this beautiful dessert is to make.
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