Apricot Almond Dried Fruit Truffles Food

APRICOT BALLS

Steps:

• To a food processor, add apricots, dates, almond meal, coconut and coconut oil. Mix on high for 1 minute or until mixture is finely processed - it's ok if it's a little bit chunky.
• Roll tablespoons of apricot mix into small balls, using your hands, until smooth. Dip each ball in extra coconut and place on a plate. Repeat with remaining apricot mixture.
• Place balls in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to set. Store balls in fridge.

APRICOT ALMOND TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Toast almonds in a dry skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes; set aside to cool.
• Process almonds in a food processor, pulsing until coarsely chopped; add apricots, honey, cinnamon, ginger, and salt processing until everything is finely chopped and sticks together, about 45 seconds.
• Using your hands roll mixture into round balls (about a heaping teaspoon each) and place on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.
• Melt half the chocolate in a double boiler; stir in remaining chocolate, stirring to melt.
• Roll balls in chocolate to coat and place back on baking sheet.
• Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes; store at room temperature.

APRICOT & ALMOND FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Mix the sultanas and sherry and set aside for 1 hr to soak.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a deep, 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin, and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment that comes about 2.5cm above the sides of the tin. In your largest mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one.
• Stir in the flour, baking powder, and the ground and flaked almonds. Next, add the soaked sultanas with any remaining sherry, the dried apricots, the mixed peel, and all the zest and juice. Scrape into the cake tin, smoothing out the surface.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hr 25 mins. Poke with a skewer in the centre to check it is cooked - if the skewer comes out with any uncooked mixture stuck to it, bake for 10 mins more before checking again. Cool in the tin. Decorated, or wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil, the cake will keep for up to a month.

FRUIT AND NUT TRUFFLES (SUGARPLUMS)

Steps:

• .Place all ingredients into a food processor and blend until a ball forms (it should take about 2 minutes).
• With wet hands, roll into balls (about the size of a large cherry) then roll into the extra sugar.
• Store in an airtight container for upto 2 weeks.
• Makes 25 - 35 truffles.

CRANBERRY APRICOT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place apricots, cranberries and orange zest in food processor. Pulse until fruit is chpped and forms a large ball. Form fruit mixture into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. In a saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate. Drizzle one heaping teaspoon of melted chocolate over each fruit ball. Allow chocolate to harden, refrigerating if necessary.

ALMOND & APRICOT TRIFLES

Steps:

• 1 Line the bottom of 4 small glass serving dishes with the cake. Mix ½ the Disaronno with 6 tbsp of reserved juice, then divide this between the bowls. Arrange apricots on top of the sponge, then pour on custard. Cover and chill for at least 10 mins, or up to a day.
• Just before serving, add the remaining Disaronno to the cream and whip until it just holds its shape. Spoon over the custard and sprinkle with flaked almonds.

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons of the water and the brandy in a 1-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the chopped apricots, cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let stand until the liquid is absorbed (about 30 minutes).
• Melt the butter in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water. Add 8 ounces of the chocolate and the remaining 2 tablespoons water, and stir frequently with a rubber spatula to ensure even melting. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until fluffy and cooled to room temperature (about 3 minutes). Stir in the chopped apricots, cover, and refrigerate until firm but not stiff (3 to 4 hours).
• Line a baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. With a spoon or small ice cream scoop, scoop out small mounds of the mixture. Dust your hands with confectioners' sugar and roll the mounds into 1-inch balls. These will be the truffle centers. Cover the truffle centers with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
• Remove the truffle centers from the freezer and bring to cool-room temperature so the outer coating won't crack when they are dipped. Line another baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the remaining 1 pound chocolate (see pages 25-30). Place a truffle center into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or fork, remove the center from the chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn the truffle out onto the paper. After dipping 4 truffles, place a sliver of dried apricot on top of each truffle before the chocolate sets up.
• Let the truffles set up at room temperature, or chill them in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set, place them in paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffles are best served at room temperature.
• Instead of dipping the truffle centers in chocolate, roll them in finely chopped, toasted pistachio nuts as soon as they are formed into balls.
• White Chocolate Pear Truffles: Substitute dried pears and Poire Williams pear brandy for the apricots and apricot brandy.

APRICOT TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Mince apricots in blender.
• Combine with 1 1/2 cups of coconut and all other ingredients (reserving 1/2 cup coconut for rolling) and blend well.
• Take a teaspoonful of mixture and roll into balls.
• Toss in extra coconut.
• Store in fridge.