When I was a kid, these were always sold in candy shops, and I loved them. They were considered far too exotic to make at home; or at least no one would consider doing such a thing. Years later I learned how. Turns out, of course, they couldn’t be easier, and now they are a wintertime staple in my house.

　　

Ingredients

makes about 12

　　1 cup dried figs or dates (preferably Medjool), trimmed and/or pitted

　　2 tablespoons cold butter, optional

　　1 cup walnuts

　　Sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut or confectioners’ sugar for dredging

　　

Step 1

Combine the fruit and butter in a small food processor. (If you are not using the butter, which is not essential, just start with the figs or dates alone.) Process until quite smooth, stopping the machine to scrape down the sides if necessary. Add the walnuts and pulse to blend; you don’t want to process the walnuts to a powder, but they should be finely chopped.

　　

Step 2

Use your hands to form into small balls. Roll in coconut or sugar to coat. Stored in the refrigerator, these keep for a few days.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.