Apricot Pastry Bars Food

WINNING APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Fold in coconut and walnuts., Press two-thirds of dough onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread with preserves; crumble remaining dough over preserves. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

APRICOT SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch square pan.
• Place apricots and enough water to cover in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and boil for 10 minutes. Drain and cool, then chop coarsely.
• Cream together the butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 cup flour until crumbly. Sprinkle the mixture into the prepared pan, and pack down. Bake in the preheated oven until firm and slightly golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
• In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and brown sugar until well blended. Combine 1/3 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into the egg mixture. Mix in vanilla, walnuts and apricots. Spread mixture over baked layer.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. Let cool on wire racks. Cut into bars and dip in confectioners' sugar.

APRICOT SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm. While the crust is baking, place apricots in a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.
• Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the liquid. Return the apricots and reserved liquid to the pan, and stir in the lemon zest. Mix together the sugar and cornstarch, and stir into the apricot mixture. Bring to a boil, and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Spread onto the prepared crust, and sprinkle the walnuts over.
• Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm to the touch. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

TRADITIONAL APRICOT PIE

Steps:

• Cover bottom of oven with foil to catch any spill from the pie
• Add sugar and flour to apricots, set aside for 30 minutes to macerate
• Pre-heat oven to 425 F
• Roll out bottom crust pie pastry; place in 9 inch pie plate, edges hanging over lip
• Roll out top crust pie pastry; and rest while filling bottom
• Carefully fill pastry with apricot mixture; top with dabs of butter
• Carefully place top crust over fruit; edges hanging over lip of pan
• Gently roll edges of pastry together resting on edge of pie pan to form an ample ridge to crimp; crimp edges
• Brush top with beaten egg yolk; sprinkle liberally with sparkling sugar
• Slash top pastry to allow steam to escape
• Please in hot oven; turn heat to 350 F after first 15 minutes and bake for another hour until bubbly, golden, fragrant and completely irresistible

APRICOT PASTRY BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. , In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, 2 egg whites, milk and vanilla; gradually add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide in half, making one portion slightly larger., Roll out larger portion of dough between two large sheets of waxed paper into a 17x12-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Press pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of pan; trim pastry even with top edges. Spread apricot filling over dough; sprinkle with walnuts. , Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pan; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Whisk remaining egg white; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. , Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.
• In a small saucepan, cover apricots with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup water. Place 1/4 cup water back in the saucepan and add 3/4 cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.
• Chop apricots and add to saucepan, turn off the heat.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and 1 cup sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together four, soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Add toasted coconut and pecans.
• Place 3/4 of the mixture into prepared pan, pressing it with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 10 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove from oven and spread apricot mixture over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crust over the top and bake an additional 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown.

APRICOT-COCONUT COOKIE BARS

Steps:

• In a medium-sized bowl, combine butter or margarine, sugar, 2/3 cup of flour, and oats. With two knives or a pastry blender, cut ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
• Press pastry evenly into the bottom and 1 inch up the sides of a buttered 9-inch square baking pan.
• Bake in a moderate (350 degrees) oven for about 25 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside. Keep the oven at 350 degrees while you mix the remaining ingredients.
• In a small bowl, mix apricot preserves and chopped apricots. Once combined, gently spread it on the bottom of your baked pastry.
• In a mixing bowl, sift together baking powder, salt, and the remaining flour. Stir in eggs, sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and almonds; mix well. Spread the mixture evenly over the apricots. Bake for 35 minutes or until the top is firm.
• Once the bars are firm to the touch, take them out of the oven and let them cool in the pan. Once cool, cut into bars.
• Drizzle melted white chocolate over cut bars, finely chop two apricots and sprinkle over bars with a few chopped almonds for garnish.

APRICOT PASTRIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• For Apricots: Cook apricots in water till tender, then cool. Set aside. *Note: Apricots will soak up all of the 2 cups of water, there should be no water left. If apricots are still not tender when the water has been absorbed, add more water by the tablespoon full. Do not over water. *Note Apricots from a box may be tart, add small amount of sugar to sweeten. For best results use dried apricots found in the produce section usually in celophane bags.
• For Pastry Crust: Sift together flour, sugar and salt.
• Cut in shortening with pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Scald milk and let it cool till it is just warm.
• Add yeast to milk and let soften.
• Add egg and vanilla to milk mixture.
• Add milk mixture to the flour mixture.
• Mix well.
• Divide dough into four parts.
• Form each part of dough into a square.
• On a surface well dusted with the powdered sugar/flour mixture, roll one part of the dough at a time to make 4 ten inch squares.
• Cut each square into sixteen 2½-inch squares.
• Forming the Pastries: Place heaping teaspoons of apricots in center of each individual square.
• Pinch two opposite corners together.
• Place two inches apart on greased cookie sheet.
• Let stand ten minutes. *Note: Most yeast recipes require the dough to be left to rise. This 10 minutes to stand after forming the pastry is the only rising this recipe requires.
• Bake at 350° for ten to twelve minutes.
• Remove at once from pan to cool on rack.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

APRICOT PASTRY

Steps:

• For the dough:.
• Sift flour, baking powder and sugar into bowl.
• Add lemon rind and butter.
• Work butter into flour mixture as for pie crust.
• Add egg yolks and enough sour cream so that when it's mixed it resembles soft pie dough.
• Gather into ball and divide into 4 parts.
• Put one part to the side.
• Pat remaining dough into an ungreased 11 x 17 x 1 inch jelly roll pan.
• Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 12 minutes to set the dough.
• Remove from oven and spread with Apricot Filling.
• For the filling:.
• Place apricots in saucepan and pour enough water to cover apricots by an inch.
• Cook over medium heat until apricots are soft and liquid has been reduced, stirring occasionally so they don't stick to pan.
• Mash apricots with a fork or an immersion blender to a somewhat smooth puree.
• Add sugar to desired sweetness.
• Filling must be thick and not runny.
• Finish assembling:.
• Roll remainder of dough to 1/8" thickness and cut into 1/2" strips with pie jagger or knife.
• Arrange diagonally in lattice fashion over apricots, or you can roll pieces of dough into 1/4" diameter and arrange as above.
• Bake in 350 degree F. oven for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.
• Before serving sprinkle with sifted powdered sugar and cut into small squares or diamond shaped pieces.
• NOTE: I like to trim the edges of the pastry before cutting into serving pieces. It looks better, and the trimmings are delicious with coffee as the baker's reward for the work!

FRUITY ALMOND PUFF PASTRY TART

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place the sheet of puff pastry in the center of a baking sheet fitted with parchment. Top the puff with another sheet of parchment. Place a baking sheet directly on top of the parchment on top of the puff pastry. This weighs down the puff as it bakes and makes it uniform.
• Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven and bake until the puff pastry is partially cooked and lightly browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and take the baking sheet and top sheet of parchment off the pastry.
• While the pastry is baking, make the frangipane. In the bowl of the food processor, pulse the almonds until they become like a coarse, wet powder. Add the sugar, butter, flour, almond extract, cinnamon and egg and pulse until it forms a paste.
• Gently spread the frangipane in an even layer over the puff pastry, leaving a 1/2-inch border, and place the baking sheet back in the center of the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake until the frangipane and pastry are browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
• In a small pot, warm the jam over low heat until it melts slightly, about 30 seconds.
• Transfer the puff to a flat surface and use a serrated knife to gently cut into 9 even pieces. Arrange the pieces close together on a serving platter as if they make a whole tart. Drizzle some of the warmed jam over the top edges of the pastry and frangipane to create a "glue" for the raspberries to stick to the pastry. Arrange the raspberries over the top of each piece. Drizzle the remaining jam gently over the raspberries and finish with a sprinkle of sugar for added texture. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate the leftovers (if there are any!!).

APRICOT PASTRY BARS

Steps:

• 1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• 2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks, 2 egg whites, milk and vanilla; gradually add to crumb mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide in half, making one portion slightly larger.
• 3. Roll out larger portion of dough between two large sheets of waxed paper into a 17-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Press pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of pan; trim pastry even with top edges. Spread apricot filling over dough; sprinkle with walnuts.
• 4. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pan; place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in top. Whisk remaining egg white; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• 5. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.