Winter Spice Sugar Plum Bonbons

© 2008 Miri Rotkovitz

Poor little prunes. Back in 2000, the FDA granted the California Prune Board permission to rename the glossy little sweeties dried plums, because apparently so many people disliked the name "prune" that they didn't want to eat them. I always thought the whole thing was silly, and have stubbornly insisted on calling them prunes, just like everybody in the rest of the world.

Then I got some prunes all gussied up for the holidays, and the plum thing started working for me. I mean "visions of sugar prunes" has a certain goofy charm, but I'll concede that "sugar plums" sounds a whole lot better -- or at least more recognizable.

Sugar plums didn't always have a Christmas connotation -- they were simply sweets made from dried fruits, spices, and nuts. Oddly enough, all of the old recipes I managed to dig up were made with dried apricots or dates, with nary a prune (or dried plum) in sight. They also all involved cooking, and then handling a sticky mess. These no-cook Winter Spice Sugar Plum Bonbons are far less messy to make, but you still get to use your hands, which makes them fun for kids to assemble. They make nice hostess gifts or party fare. Best of all, if you're shuttling between Christmas and Chanukah celebrations, they work for both; thanks to the combination of dried fruit with a cinnamon, allspice, and cardamom-enhanced almond paste, they call to mind both Sephardic flavors and a Winter Wonderland.

Virtual Cookie Exchange- Our Guide to Desserts and Baking offers her childhood favorite recipe for Thumbprint Cookies. Your imagination is the only limit to the different flavor options available with this tasty recipe.