Almond Bread With An Apricot Swirl Food

ALMOND BREAD WITH AN APRICOT SWIRL

Steps:

• Heat up water and milk until they are at body temperature.
• Whisk in 1 tablespoon of sugar and sprinkle yeast over mixture.
• Wait about 10 minutes, until the mixture is frothy. If it doesn't froth up it means your yeast is dead and the bread won't rise!
• While you're waiting roughly chop 100g of your apricots and ⅓ cup of your almonds (you will knead these pieces into the bread in a couple of steps. The remaining apricots and almonds will be for your filling).
• Add sugar (1 tablespoon), salt, and butter to mixture. Mix.
• Add flour and mix until the dough starts to come together into shaggy pieces.
• Dump dough onto a surface (feel free to flour the surface a bit, but I didn't have to) and knead for about 3 minutes until dough starts to come together. Incorporate your chopped almonds and apricot (I by kneading them into the bread.
• Knead for an additional 7 minutes, until dough is smooth.
• Place dough in a bowl, and cover with cling wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise for 1½-2 hours, until doubled in size.
• In the meantime, grind together 1 cup of almonds and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a food processor until it sticks together when you press it between your fingers (it won't turn to almond butter). Transfer to a bowl.
• Place 100g of your apricots in the food processor and process until its become a paste (there may be a few chunks left. Add a splash of water if you need, but the mixture shouldn't be too wet).
• Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and press the dough into a rectangle. The rectangle should be about 6 inches wide and 12 inches long.
• Spread the almond paste and apricot paste evenly over the dough.
• Roll dough tightly (along the shorter side).
• Once dough is rolled, press seam together with your fingers and place in a 9 x 5 loaf pan, seam side down. The ends of the dough should be touching the ends of the pan (see photo above).
• Cover and let rise for another 45-60 minutes, until the loaf pan is filled and the dough just crests the lip of the pan.
• About 15 minutes before the end of your second rise, preheat your oven to 350F.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown and hollow sounding when you knock on the bottom.
• Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

ALMOND APRICOT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugars, baking powder and salt. Set aside 1 tablespoon baby food for glaze. In another bowl, beat the egg, 3/4 cup milk, oil, 1 teaspoon almond extract and remaining baby food. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in almonds and apricots. , Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. , For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, reserved baby food, and remaining milk and extract until smooth. Drizzle over bread.

SWIRLED ALMOND-APRICOT BARK

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny-side up; smooth out the creases. Make sure all your tools are dry.
• Chop the bittersweet and white chocolate into 1/2-inch pieces with a large knife. Place all but 1/2 cup of the bittersweet chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 15 seconds, then stir with a rubber spatula. Continue microwaving and stirring at 15-second intervals until melted, about 3 minutes total. Immediately add the reserved chopped bittersweet chocolate to the bowl; stir vigorously until melted and shiny. Repeat with the white chocolate in a separate bowl. Don't worry if there are a few small unmelted pieces.
• Pour the 2 chocolates side by side onto the prepared baking sheet; use the rubber spatula to swirl them together and spread into a 10-to-12-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick.
• Press the almonds and apricots into the chocolate, arranging them so each bite has a mix of flavors and textures. Sprinkle with fennel seeds. Let the bark harden completely at room temperature, about 1 hour. (If the room is warm, you may need to freeze the bark for a few minutes.) Break into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks.

APRICOT ALMOND SHORTBREADS

Steps:

• Make purée:
• In a small heavy saucepan simmer purée ingredients, covered, 10 minutes. In a food processor purée mixture until smooth. Purée may be make 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.
• Make brandied cream:
• In a small bowl fold brandy and sugar into whipped cream and chill, covered.
• Transfer purée and brandied cream to separate pastry bags fitted with 1/4-inch star tips. Pipe cream into shells until level with tops and pipe a 1/2-inch-high mound of purée on top.
• Sprinkle desserts with confectioners' sugar and garnish with almonds.

ALMOND APRICOT COFFEE CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, sour cream and extract; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. , Spread half of the batter in a greased and floured 12-cup fluted tube pan. Sprinkle with half of the almonds. Spread half of the preserves to within 1/2 in of the edges. Cover with remaining batter. Spoon remaining preserves over batter to within 1/2 in of edges. Sprinkle with remaining almonds. , Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. If desired, dust with confectioners' sugar.

ALMOND APRICOT BREAD

Steps:

• FOR THE BREAD ~ Preheat oven to 350 degrees F & grease a 9"x5" loaf pan.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugars, baking powder & salt.
• Set aside 1 tablespoon of the baby food for a glaze.
• In another bowl, beat together the egg, 3/4 cup milk, oil, 1 teaspoon almond extract & the remaining baby food, then stir this mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.
• Fold in the almonds & dried apricots & pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
• Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• FOR THE GLAZE ~ Combine the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of the apricot baby food, 1 teaspoon of milk & 1/8 teaspoon of almond extract, mixing until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled loaf.