Apricot Ginger Butter Food

APRICOT BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine the butter, apricot preserves, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Serve at room temperature.

APRICOT PIE WITH CANDIED GINGER AND CRUNCHY TOPPING

Steps:

• Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and stir until moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if mixture is too dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter pie dish. Fold overhang under and crimp decoratively. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil; fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake until dough begins to set, about 20 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Bake until crust is just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes longer. Maintain oven temperature.
• Mix first 7 ingredients in medium bowl to blend. Add butter; rub in with fingertips until moist clumps form.
• Mix all ingredients in large bowl to blend. Transfer to warm pie crust.
• Sprinkle topping evenly over apricot mixture. Bake pie until topping is brown and filling is bubbling thickly, about 45 minutes, covering crust with foil after 30 minutes if browning too quickly. Cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve.

CROCKPOT APRICOT BUTTER

Steps:

• 1. Wash, peel, pit fruit. Puree in small batches using blender or food processor. Pour pureed apricots into crock pot as you work. Add sugar to fruit. Add spices and lemon juice. Mix well. Cover and cook on High for 8 to 10 hours. Remove cover about half way through cooking. Stir occasionally. Store in refrigerator, can, or freeze.
• 2. IF CANNING: Fill hot, sterilized jars to 1/4 inch headspace; remove air bubbles, wipe rims, affix lids and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath. IF FREEZING: Pour into sterilized cans or boxes, leaving 1/4-inch headspace and freeze. TO USE: Use in any recipe that calls for apple butter. Great on warm biscuits, fresh home made bread, and breakfast toast!

APRICOT AND GINGER JAM

Steps:

• Wash, chop and de-stone apricots. Have jars sterilized in preparation.
• Measure 8 cups of chopped apricots into a large stock pot, along with the 4 cups of sugar, 1/2 cup lemon juice, and grated ginger.
• Bring to a boil over a high heat, stirring occasionally. Once at a rolling boil, turn down the heat to keep it at a controlled boil for 23 minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Note: It should be bubbling, not simmering. Start your timer when it begins to boil and at this stage add the 1 tablespoon of butter.
• At the end of 23 minutes it should have reduced down to a thick, sticky consistency but will still slide easily off the spoon. Don't worry, it will thicken as it cools.
• Jar while it is still warm and moves easily.

APRICOT GINGER BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Lightly butter a baking sheet and dust with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• In a bowl soak apricots in boiling hot water to cover 5 minutes. Drain apricots well and pat them dry with paper towels. Chop apricots fine. In another bowl lightly whisk together eggs and transfer 1 teaspoon egg to a small bowl. Whisk water into the 1 teaspoon egg and reserve egg wash.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer blend flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add remaining egg and vanilla and beat until a dough forms (dough will be sticky). Stir in apricots and ginger.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead 6 times. Working on baking sheet, with floured hands form dough into a 6 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch rectangle. Brush rectangle with some reserved egg wash and bake in middle of oven 30 minutes. Cool rectangle on baking sheet on a rack 10 minutes. Loosen rectangle from baking sheet with a metal spatula and carefully transfer to a cutting board.
• Cut rectangle crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange biscotti, cut side down, on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes on each side, or until pale golden. Transfer biscotti to rack and cool. Biscotti keep in an airtight container at room temperature 3 days or frozen 1 month.

APRICOT BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter a 23cm-deep cake tin (preferably not loose-based, see tip below) and line the base with silicone or baking parchment. Mix the topping ingredients and spread over the base of the tin.
• Mix the milk and vanilla together. Put the sugar and eggs into a large bowl and whisk with a tabletop or hand electric mixer until the mixture is thick, pale and increased in volume, about 5 mins. Test it is ready by lifting the whisk blades - if the mixture briefly leaves a trail, you are ready to proceed.
• Add one-third of the flour and whisk slowly to incorporate, then one-third of the milk and mix again. Repeat twice more until all the flour and milk is added. Slowly whisk in the melted butter.
• Halve and stone the apricots. Place, cut-side down, in the base of the tin. Pour the cake batter over the top and slide into the oven. Bake for 1-1¼ hrs until the cake is firm to the touch and springs back when lightly pressed.
• Cool the cake in the tin for 20 mins, then carefully remove from the tin, peel off the lining paper and serve warm or cold.

APRICOT GINGER SCONES

Steps:

• Put dry ingredients in food processor, pulse to mix.
• Add butter, pulse until butter is mixed through.
• Place flour/butter mixture in bowl.
• Add apricots, ginger and buttermilk and mix with a fork until a rough dough forms.
• Place on floured work surface.
• Form into a disk about 1 1/2 inches high, cut disk in half and in half again.
• Cut each of the 4 pieces either into thirds to get 12 or in half again to get 8.
• OR cut with large cookie cutter, cutting straight down (don't twist) and don't pat dough more that 2 times total.
• Place on silpat or parchment lined sheet pan and freeze for 20 minutes+.
• Bake for about 12 minutes at 400.

APRICOT & GINGER FRANGIPANE TART

Steps:

• To make the pastry, tip the flour, butter and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and pulse again. Add the vanilla, egg and 1-2 tbsp ice-cold water, and pulse until the dough just comes together. Tip out and shape into a disc. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and line a 22cm loose-bottomed tart tin, pressing it into the sides. Chill for 30 mins.
• Meanwhile, prepare the frangipane. Using an electric whisk, beat the butter until creamy, then add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition, then stir in the almonds, flour, ginger and 1 tbsp ginger syrup.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and put in a baking tray to heat. Spoon the frangipane into the tart case and smooth. Poke the apricots into the frangipane. Transfer to the baking tray and bake for 40-50 mins (cover with foil after 30 mins if the tart is taking on too much colour) until the fruit is tender and a skewer poked in the frangipane comes out clean.
• Leave the tart to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack. Heat the remaining ginger syrup in a pan until thickened, and glaze the tart with it. Serve warm or cold, dusted with icing sugar, with a dollop of crème fraîche mixed with a little vanilla bean paste, if you like.