Apricot Brioche Food

PROSCIUTTO, BRIE AND APRICOT CROSTINI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven broiler. Put the baguette slices on a baking sheet lined with foil. Cut the Brie into 1/4-inch-thick slices and top each piece of bread with a slice. Broil until the cheese melts, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Top each cheese toast with some prosciutto and a dollop of apricot jam and a sprinkle of chives.

FRENCH TOASTED APRICOT BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Lightly butter a large shallow baking dish and sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon of the sugar.
• Cut the apricots in half, remove the pits and place them, cut side up, in the baking dish, in a single layer if possible. Sprinkle them with 3 tablespoons of the sugar and the brandy. Bake for about 20 minutes, until they begin to brown around the edges. Remove the apricots from the oven and set aside.
• Meanwhile, slice the brioche into 8 equal slices and cut each slice in half.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the nectar. Stir in the orange peel, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the nutmeg. Pour this mixture into a shallow dish and add the slices of brioche, turning them so they can soak up the liquid. Set aside.
• Heat half the remaining butter in a large, heavy skillet or a griddle. Fry the soaked brioche slices to brown lightly on each side, adding more butter to the skillet as needed.
• Place 2 pieces of the browned brioche side by side on each of eight dessert plates, leaving about 2 inches of space between the slices of brioche. Spoon the apricots into the space between the pieces of brioche and on top of them. Serve at once, with ice cream or whipped cream on the side, if desired.

BRIOCHE

Steps:

• Put the flour in a bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. Add the salt to one side and sugar to the other. Pour in the yeast to the side with the sugar. Mix each side into the flour with your hands, then mix it all together with the dough hook.
• Heat the milk until warm to the touch, but not hot. Mix into the flour mix until combined. With the dough hook on medium, gradually add the eggs and mix for 10 mins.
• Gradually add the softened butter, one or two cubes at a time, until combined. This will take 5-8 mins. Scrape down the sides, the dough will be very soft.
• Scrape the dough into a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and leave for 1 hr 30 mins-2 hrs until doubled in size and well-risen. Once risen, put in the fridge for 1 hr.
• Line the bottom and sides of a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Portion the dough into seven equal pieces (the easiest way to do this accurately is to weigh it). Lightly dust a work surface with flour, take a piece of dough and pull each corner into the middle to form a circular shape. With a bit of pressure, push down and roll into ball. Repeat with the six remaining pieces.
• Put the balls into the tin, four on one side and three in the gaps on the other side. Cover with a tea towel and leave to prove for 30-35 mins until almost doubled in size. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly brush the dough with the egg wash and bake for 30-35 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 mins, then remove and cool completely.

ALMOND-APRICOT FOOD PROCESSOR CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter cake pan, then line bottom with parchment paper. Butter parchment, then sprinkle evenly with 1/4 cup almonds.
• Pit and coarsely chop 6 oz. apricots. Pulse salt, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and remaining 2 1/4 cups almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add eggs, vanilla, 6 Tbsp. butter, and half of the chopped apricots; process until very smooth. Add flour and baking powder; pulse until combined, then fold in remaining chopped apricots. Transfer to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until golden brown and the center no longer jiggles when shaken, 60-70 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely.
• Meanwhile, pit and slice remaining 10 oz. apricots. Toss apricots, amaretto, if using, and remaining 2 Tbsp. sugar in a medium bowl. Let sit at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Using a whisk or an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to soft peaks in a large bowl.
• Run a knife around edges of cooled cake and invert onto a platter.
• Serve with macerated apricots and whipped cream alongside.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be baked 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let come to room temperature before serving.

APRICOT & MARZIPAN TWIST

Steps:

• The night before, put apricots and orange juice in a bowl and set aside.
• To make the dough, put flour, 1 tsp salt, butter, milk, yeast and egg in a bowl, and mix together to form a dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 6 mins.
• Transfer dough to a mixing bowl. Cover, then set aside to rise in a warm place for 1 hr.
• Meanwhile, drain the apricots. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and muscovado sugar until fluffy. Mix in the apricots, flour, raisins, walnuts and orange zest.
• Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it out to a rectangle, about 25 x 33cm. Evenly spread over the apricot mix, then roll out the marzipan and lay it on top. Roll up the rectangle tightly so it looks like a Swiss roll. Roll slightly, then cut lengthways along the roll, leaving 1 end joined. Twist 2 lengths together, then shape into a ring on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Set aside to rise for 1 hr.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the twist for 30 mins until risen and dark golden. Towards the end of the baking time, gently warm the apricot jam in a small pan. Brush the freshly baked loaf with the warm jam to glaze it, then set it aside to cool. Once cooled, drizzle the twist heavily with the runny icing.