Apricot Linzertorte With Quark Whipped Cream Food

APRICOT LINZERTORTE WITH QUARK WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 10-inch springform pan. Process nuts and 1/4 cup flour in processor until nuts are finely ground. Transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in 1 cup flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and cloves. Using electric mixer, beat 14 tablespoons butter and 1 1/4 cups sugar in large bowl. Beat in egg, then egg yolk and orange peel. Gradually stir in dry ingredients. Spoon 1 1/2 cups batter into pastry bag fitted with 3/8-inch plain round tip. Spread remaining batter in pan.
• Bake torte bottom until golden, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Using some of batter in pastry bag, pipe border around edge of torte bottom. Spread preserves evenly over torte bottom. Pipe remaining batter over preserves in lattice pattern, 5 to 6 strips in each direction. Bake until lattice is firm to touch and preserves are bubbling, about 40 minutes. Cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• Beat cream in bowl until peaks form; beat in quark. Dust torte with powdered sugar. Serve with quark whipped cream.
• A slightly tangy, soft unripened cow's-milk cheese; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores (such as Whole Foods markets) and natural foods stores.

APRICOT CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Prepare, bake and cool cake as directed on package.
• Split each cake layer in half horizontally. (I used dental floss while my husband gently held the cake in place with a clean kitchen towel. It was very easy to do!) Reserve 1 tablespoon preserves. Place one split cake layer on serving plate. Spread one-third remaining preserves on top. Repeat with remaining layers and preserves, leaving top plain.
• Prepare pudding mix as directed on package using 3/4 cup milk. In a large bowl, beat whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold whipping cream into pudding. Spread on sides and top of cake. Garnish with coconut, apricot halves and mint leaves. Warm reserved preserves to glaze apricot halves. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

APRICOT ALMOND LINZERTORTE

Steps:

• Make pastry:
• Pulse toasted almonds and sugar in a food processor until nuts are finely ground. Sift together flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves into a bowl, then add to ground nuts in processor and pulse to combine.
• Lightly beat yolks, extracts, and zest in a small bowl with a fork. Add to food processor along with butter, then pulse until dough forms a ball. Form one third of dough into a disk, then roll out between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 10-inch round. Transfer to a baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes. Roll out remaining dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a 12-inch round, then transfer to another baking sheet and chill until firm, about 10 minutes.
• Make filling:
• Simmer water, sugar, brandy, and apricots in a small saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until apricots are tender and liquid is syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to cleaned food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Spread mixture onto a plate and chill 15 minutes.
• Bake torte:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Remove bottom of springform pan and invert, then lock on side. Remove larger dough round from refrigerator and peel off top layer of plastic wrap, then invert round into pan (pastry will break in spots). Press dough evenly onto bottom, then discard plastic. Fold in edge of dough and press 1/2 inch up side of pan (side will be thicker than bottom). Press gently to close any cracks.
• Bake pastry until lightly browned, about 20 minutes, then cool completely on a rack, about 30 minutes. (Dough will puff up as it bakes but will settle as it cools.)
• Spread filling into crust with an offset spatula or back of a spoon.
• Peel top layer of plastic wrap from smaller dough round, then cut round into 1/2-inch-wide strips. (Chill strips again if necessary.) Arrange half of strips over filling about 1 inch apart, pressing ends onto edge of torte. Arrange remaining strips across first strips to form a simple lattice. Press edges together with your fingertips.
• Bake until top is browned, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
• Before serving, remove side of pan and dust edge of torte with confectioners sugar.

EASY APRICOT CREAM DESSERT

Steps:

• Place the apricots in a blender and puree.
• In a small bowl, soften the gelatin in the cold water.
• In a medium saucepan, combine apricot puree, gelatin mixture, lemon juice, and sugar. Heat over low heat until gelatin and sugar are dissolved.
• Refrigerate mixture for about 30 minutes.
• Fold in the whipped cream. Pour the mixture into a 4-cup mold or bowl and refrigerate until firm.