Paul Hollywood’s Fig Rolls

Soft biscuit dough encasing a lightly spiced fig filling, these rolls are world’s above shop-bought versions.

Serves: 12
Difficulty: Needs skill
Hands-On Time: 1 hr
Baking Time: 15 mins
  • Ingredients
  • Method
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Method

Step 1
Make the biscuit dough. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder together into a bowl. Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the beater, on medium speed for 3–5 minutes, until pale and creamy.

Step 2
Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. With the mixer on a low speed, add the flour mixture in two or three batches until incorporated. Scrape the mixture out onto a sheet of cling film, then wrap and chill for 30 minutes, until firm.

Step 3
Make the filling. Tip the figs into a small pan so they cover the base. Add the sugar and enough water to just cover the fruit. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to give a fast simmer and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 5–8 minutes, until the figs are soft and the mixture is thick.

Step 4
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blitz to a paste. Add the cinnamon and ginger and pulse for a few seconds to combine. Spread out the mixture onto a plate to cool, then chill for 10 minutes to firm up.

Step 5
Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/375°F/Gas 5.

Step 6
Roll out the chilled biscuit dough on the flour-dusted sheet of baking paper to a 25 x 20cm rectangle. Trim the edges and cut the rectangle in half to give two strips, each measuring 25 x 10cm.

Step 7
Halve the fig filling and, with floured hands, roll each half into a sausage measuring 25cm long. Lie each sausage down the middle of one a strip of biscuit dough. Brush the long edge of one strip of dough lightly with water and, using the baking paper to help, lift and roll the dough over the filling as you would a sausage roll. It should overlap and seal in the filling. Repeat with the other roll.

Step 8
Gently transfer the rolls onto the prepared baking sheet and cut each roll into six equal pieces. Run a fork along the tops of the rolls to slightly flatten and to create decorative lines. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until lightly browned, then remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before serving.