Apricot Almond Spirals Recipes

ALMOND BREAD WITH AN APRICOT SWIRL

Steps:

• Heat up water and milk until they are at body temperature.
• Whisk in 1 tablespoon of sugar and sprinkle yeast over mixture.
• Wait about 10 minutes, until the mixture is frothy. If it doesn't froth up it means your yeast is dead and the bread won't rise!
• While you're waiting roughly chop 100g of your apricots and ⅓ cup of your almonds (you will knead these pieces into the bread in a couple of steps. The remaining apricots and almonds will be for your filling).
• Add sugar (1 tablespoon), salt, and butter to mixture. Mix.
• Add flour and mix until the dough starts to come together into shaggy pieces.
• Dump dough onto a surface (feel free to flour the surface a bit, but I didn't have to) and knead for about 3 minutes until dough starts to come together. Incorporate your chopped almonds and apricot (I by kneading them into the bread.
• Knead for an additional 7 minutes, until dough is smooth.
• Place dough in a bowl, and cover with cling wrap or a kitchen towel and let rise for 1½-2 hours, until doubled in size.
• In the meantime, grind together 1 cup of almonds and 2 tablespoons of sugar in a food processor until it sticks together when you press it between your fingers (it won't turn to almond butter). Transfer to a bowl.
• Place 100g of your apricots in the food processor and process until its become a paste (there may be a few chunks left. Add a splash of water if you need, but the mixture shouldn't be too wet).
• Once the dough has doubled in size, remove from bowl and press the dough into a rectangle. The rectangle should be about 6 inches wide and 12 inches long.
• Spread the almond paste and apricot paste evenly over the dough.
• Roll dough tightly (along the shorter side).
• Once dough is rolled, press seam together with your fingers and place in a 9 x 5 loaf pan, seam side down. The ends of the dough should be touching the ends of the pan (see photo above).
• Cover and let rise for another 45-60 minutes, until the loaf pan is filled and the dough just crests the lip of the pan.
• About 15 minutes before the end of your second rise, preheat your oven to 350F.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, until golden brown and hollow sounding when you knock on the bottom.
• Let cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

APRICOT ALMOND DREAM COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with silpat mat or parchment paper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, light brown sugar and granulated sugar and beat on medium high speed 3-4 minutes until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat on medium speed after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extract and continue to beat an additional 1 minute.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and oats. Slowly add to mixing bowl with speed on low until just combined. Add apricots, coconut and almonds and continue to mix on low to combine.
• Spoon by heaping teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet and bake 10-12 minutes until golden on the outside and set in the middle when touched with fingertip. Remove and allow to cool 10 minutes on pan.
• To make drizzle, add white chocolate chips, cream cheese and heavy cream to a medium microwave-safe bowl and heat 1 minute on high. Whisk until smooth. If necessary, heat another 30 seconds and whisk until no lumps remain.
• Transfer cookies to a plate or cooling rack and drizzle with warm drizzle generously. Sprinkle tops with sliced almonds while before drizzle dries. Makes 36 cookies