Chocolate Apricot Nut Bars Food

CHOCOLATE-APRICOT NUT BARS

Steps:

• Pulse apricots, almonds, 1 tablespoon coconut, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely ground.
• Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment, leaving an inch overhang on all sides. Transfer mixture to pan and press firmly to form a rectangle.
• Use parchment overhang to remove from pan. Drizzle mixture with chocolate and sprinkle with remaining coconut.
• Transfer to refrigerator and leave until firm, about 15 minutes. Slice into six bars.

APRICOT-HAZELNUT TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, cream butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually beat into creamed mixture., Press dough into a greased 8-in. square baking pan; spread with preserves. In a small bowl, mix melted butter, water and remaining sugar; stir in hazelnuts. Spread over preserves., Bake until edges are golden brown and center is set, 30-35 minutes. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack. Cut into sixteen 2-in. squares. Cut squares into triangles. Remove to wire racks to cool completely., Dip 1 side of each triangle halfway into melted chocolate; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper; let stand until set. Store in an airtight container.

APRICOT OAT BARS

Steps:

• Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13 by 2-inch metal baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside.
• Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the jam and the apricots. Set aside.
• Crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir in the oats and walnuts. Add the butter, egg and vanilla and stir until incorporated.
• Using a fork or clean fingers, lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Using a spatula, spread the filling over the crust leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the pan. Cover the filling with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten. Bake until light golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

DARK CHOCOLATE NUT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush an 8-by-8-inch dish with 1 teaspoon of the coconut oil and set aside.
• Combine the coconut flakes, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashews, trail mix and flaxseed and spread into an even layer on a baking sheet. Toast until lightly golden, 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, honey and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the temperature on a candy thermometer reads 260 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Immediately pour over the nut mixture and stir to coat. Use a rubber spatula to press the mixture into the prepared dish and let cool until set, about 30 minutes.
• To make the chocolate drizzle, combine the chocolate chips and remaining 1 teaspoon coconut oil in a medium heatproof bowl and place over a small pot of simmering water. Heat, stirring, until melted and smooth. (Alternatively, combine the chocolate and oil and microwave in 15-second intervals, stirring often, until melted and smooth.)
• Drizzle the chocolate over the mixture. When set, cut into bars and serve.

CHOCOLATE CHIP APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• Make apricot filling:
• In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan combine apricots, granulated sugar, and water and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Remove lid and simmer mixture, stirring and mashing apricots, until excess liquid is evaporated and filling is thickened. Stir in vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. and grease and flour an 8-inch-square baking pan, knocking out excess flour.
• Make chocolate chip mixture:
• In a shallow baking pan toast pecans in middle of oven until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, and cool. In a food processor pulse pecans, flour, brown sugar, and salt until pecans are coarsely chopped. Add chocolate chips and butter and pulse until pecan mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Press about half of chocolate chip mixture onto bottom of prepared baking pan and spread evenly with apricot filling. Crumble remaining chocolate chip mixture evenly over apricot filling, pressing it down slightly, and bake confection in middle of oven 1 hour, or until golden. Cool confection completely in pan on a rack. Sprinkle confection with confectioners' sugar and cut into 16 bars.

APRICOT WALNUT BARS

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with 1 sheet of foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 opposite sides, then butter foil.
• Pulse flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor until combined. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Add yolks and vanilla and pulse just until clumps of dough form, about 30 seconds.
• Press three fourths of dough evenly onto bottom of pan, then spread with apricot preserves. Crumble remaining dough over preserves and sprinkle evenly with walnuts.
• Bake until top is golden brown and preserves are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack. Lift from pan by grasping both ends of foil. Cut into 32 bars and lift bars off foil with a spatula.

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.

ALMOND, APRICOT AND WHITE CHOCOLATE DECADENCE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Spread dough in bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat almond paste and sugar with electric mixer on low speed until crumbly but blended. Add apricots; beat on low speed just until combined. Add cream cheese, 2 eggs and the lemon juice; beat on medium speed until well blended. Pour over warm cookie base.
• Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until set. Cool 30 minutes.
• Place baking chips in small bowl. In 1-quart saucepan, heat whipping cream just to boiling over low heat, stirring occasionally; pour over baking chips. Let stand 1 minute. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour and spread over filling. Sprinkle with almonds. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until set. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows. Store covered in refrigerator.