Sugar Plums

Photo: flickr user erikeldridge

Ingredients

2 cups whole almonds

1 1/4 cups honey

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg

1 cup finely chopped dried apricots

1 cup finely chopped pitted dates

1 cup confectioners' sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°. Toast almonds on a baking sheet in oven for 10 minutes. Cool and finely chop.

Combine honey, orange zest, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl. Add almonds, apricots, and dates and mix well.

Scoop off rounded teaspoon-size pieces of the mixture and roll into balls. Roll balls in sugar, then store in layers between sheets of parchment in an airtight containers. The flavor will improve after several days and they can be kept unrefrigerated for two weeks, a month in the refrigerator, and frozen for several months.