Dried fruit-nut cookies, adapted from orangette
1 cup walnuts
1/2 lb dried cherries
1/2 lb dried Turkish figs
1/2 lb dried apricots
1/2 lb dried pitted prunes
1/4 lb dried cranberries
1-2 Tbs orange juice
Powdered sugar, for dredging
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped or as chips
Put the walnuts in the bowl of a food processor and process them to chop finely. Remove the walnuts to a large mixing bowl.
Rinse the bowl of food processor, wipe it dry, and fill it with the dried fruit. Pulse the machine to chop the fruit finely, trying to make sure no piece is larger than a pea (also try not to let it get gummy/sticky). Put the fruit in the bowl with the walnuts, and stir them to mix. Add 1 Tb orange juice and stir to combine. Pinch off a smallish wad of the fruit-nut mixture: when you roll it between your palms, does it hold together in a tight ball? If not, add a bit more juice until it does.
Put about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into a small bowl. Pinch off little mounds of the fruit-nut mixture, shape them into 1-inch balls, roll each ball lightly in powdered sugar to coat, and place them on a baking sheet. Let the balls stand at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours.
The next day, if using, melt the chocolate. Dip each each ball half-in the chocolate, and then let stand until chocolate has cooled.