Chocolaty Apricots Recipes

Steps:

• Beat the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until fluffy. Add the vanilla and egg and beat to combine.
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and dried apricots.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop slightly mounded tablespoons of the dough and roll into balls. Arrange the balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the cookies until they are set and golden on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with Reynolds Parchment Paper; set aside. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, orange extract and egg until soft dough forms. Stir in apricots until blended.
• Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on lined cookie sheet.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• In small microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips are melted. Dip each cookie halfway into melted chocolate, letting excess drip off. Place on waxed paper and let stand until chocolate is set, at least 2 hours. To quickly set chocolate, refrigerate cookies 15 minutes. Store between sheets of Reynolds Parchment Paper in tightly covered container at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan generously with cooking spray.
• Mix oil, water, and eggs together in a bowl. Stir in brownie mix until just moistened. Spread 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• While brownies are baking, warm apricot jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Remove brownies from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Spread warm jam over the entire surface. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter over the surface of the jam.
• Return to the oven and continue to bake until edges are dry but brownies still look slightly underdone, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Steps:

• Microwave 2 ounces finely chopped dark chocolate at medium power until melted. Dip dried apricots halfway in the chocolate, then press an almond on each. Place on a parchment paper-lined plate, then freeze until set, about 2 minutes.

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the chocolate (see pages 25-30).
• Hold an apricot half securely between your thumb and forefinger, and dip it halfway into the chocolate. Remove the apricot from the chocolate, gently shake off the excess chocolate, and place the apricot half on the paper. Repeat with the remaining apricot halves. Let the chocolate set up at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Between layers of waxed paper, in a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the apricot halves will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. They are best eaten at room temperature.
• VARIATIONS
• Substitute dried peaches or dried pears for the apricots. Dip these halfway into the chocolate on the diagonal for an interesting design.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until blended. Beat in the egg and vanilla and almond extracts until combined. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until combined. With a wooden spoon, mix in the apricots and white chocolate. Drop the batter by tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
• Add shortening; stir until blended.
• Dip apricots half-way in the chocolate, shake off excess, cool on waxed paper. Let chocolate set, then refrigerate.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet.
• Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter, turbinado sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, then beat in the egg, vanilla, and salt. Stir the flour and baking soda into the butter mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips and apricots. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Steps:

• Place the butter, oil, sugar and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor, and process for about 10 seconds, just until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and process again until smooth, about 5 seconds. Add the flour, and process just until it is incorporated and the dough mixture is smooth, about 5 seconds.
• Transfer the dough to a bowl and stir in the walnut and apricot pieces and the chocolate chips. Drop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie about 2 1/2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• For Pudding:
• Whisk yolks, sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl. Bring half and half to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk hot half and half into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan and whisk over medium heat until custard boils. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Pour pudding into large bowl. Add white chocolate and butter and whisk until smooth. Chill until thick and cold, whisking occasionally, about 3 hours.
• For Apricots:
• Line cookie sheet with foil. Brush foil lightly with vegetable oil. Combine 2/3 cup water, honey, sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves. Add apricots and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Transfer 5 apricots and 1/4 cup poaching syrup to heavy small skillet. Combine remaining apricots with remaining poaching syrup, 3 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in processor and puree. Pour puree into bowl. Cook apricots in skillet over high heat until syrup is reduced to glaze, turning apricots once, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer candied apricots to foil. Cool. Mix any syrup from skillet into puree. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover candied apricots and puree separately and let stand at room temperature.)
• For Dark Chocolate Cream:
• Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Chill until cold but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Cut cakes into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 4 squares. Arrange enough cake in 4-quart glass trifle dish to cover bottom, fitting tightly. Mix rum and liqueur in bowl. Drizzle 3 tablespoons over cake. Drop 1/3 of apricot puree by spoonfuls over cake. Gently spread with back of spoon, allowing puree to show at sides of bowl. Reserve 1/4 basket berries for garnish. Sprinkle 1/3 of remaining berries over puree, arranging some berries to show at sides of bowl. Starting 1 inch in from sides of bowl, pour 1/3 of dark chocolate cream over, making sure it does not touch sides of bowl. Starting at edge, pour 2 cups white chocolate pudding over chocolate cream. Repeat layering with remaining cake, rum mixture, apricot puree, berries, dark chocolate cream and white chocolate pudding in 2 more layers each. Smooth top. Cover and chill overnight.
• Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe around edge of trifle. Top with candied apricots and reserved berries. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; chill.) Serve cold.