Brandied Apricot Crumb Bars Recipes

BRANDIED APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 15 X 10 X 1-inch jelly roll pan.
• In a medium bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and ginger.
• In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and beat until mixture is combined and crumbly.
• Press dough into bottom of prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Spread preserves over warm crust and cool completely.
• In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl, beat together sugar, remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar, remaining 3/4 cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and brandy on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and beat until combined. Stir in almonds and coconut.
• Spread mixture evenly over cooled crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until done when tested with a cake tester. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into bars to serve.

APRICOT-CHERRY BARS WITH OATMEAL CRUMBLE TOPPING

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 13-by-9-inch Pyrex baking pan with vegetable cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour, oats, brown sugar and salt. Stir in butter with a fork until well mixed and clumps have formed. Spread 1 1/2 packed cups of oat mixture over the bottom of the pan, pressing to form a thin crust.
• Mix coconut, almonds, cherries, apricots and milk in a large bowl. Pour over crust, using a rubber spatula to evenly distribute and press down. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over dried fruit filling.
• Bake until lightly golden, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature. (You can cover and store at room temperature up to 2 days.)
• To serve, cut into generous 1 1/2-inch squares.

APRICOT BARS WITH CARDAMOM-BUTTER GLAZE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray. Grate 2 teaspoons peel and squeeze juice from orange. In 2-quart saucepan, heat orange juice, orange peel, apricots, granulated sugar and 2/3 cup water to boiling over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter; stir until melted. Mash filling with fork or potato masher until fairly smooth. Set aside.
• In large bowl, mix cookie mix and 1 teaspoon cardamom. Cut in 1/2 cup butter, using pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Add almond extract and egg; toss with fork to combine. Reserve 1 cup crumb mixture.
• Press remaining crumb mixture in bottom of pan. Bake 15 minutes.
• Spoon filling evenly over warm cookie base. Stir almonds into reserved crumb mixture; sprinkle over filling. Bake 25 to 30 minutes longer or until topping is light golden brown. Cool 10 minutes.
• In small bowl, stir glaze ingredients, using enough warm water until glaze is thin enough to drizzle. Place glaze in small resealable plastic food-storage bag; seal bag. Cut off small tip from one corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle glaze over warm bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour. For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

BRANDIED APRICOT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Add egg yolk. Gradually add milk, tossing with a fork until a ball forms., Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 11-in. fluted tart pan with removable bottom. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 350°., In a small saucepan, combine preserves and brandy; cook and stir over low heat until melted. Brush 2 tablespoons over crust. Arrange apricots over crust and brush with preserve mixture. , Bake 18-22 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with almonds. Serve with whipped cream if desired.

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 CRUMBLE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F.
• Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper or foil. Spray the dish with non stick spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, sugar, and salt. Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat 16 Tablespoons (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) of butter at low speed into the flour until it is incorporated and looks like wet sand. (Alternatively, do this in a large bowl with your fingers, squishing the butter into the flour).
• Remove one cup of the flour mixture for the topping and set aside.
• Take the remaining flour mixture and press it into an even layer across the bottom of the dish.
• Bake the bottom crust in the dish until the edges just start to brown, approximately 15 minutes.
• While the bottom crust is baking, combine the reserved flour mixture, oats, almonds, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
• Add the remaining 2 Tablespoons of butter to the almond mixture and pinch it to combine, making clumps of the streusel. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine the apricot jam, diced apricots, and lemon juice. Stir to combine.
• When the bottom crust has been removed from the oven, spread the apricot jam mixture across the warm crust. Then sprinkle the streusel mixture across the top.
• Bake the crumble bars for approximately 20-25 minutes until the top is browned and the edges of the apricot mixture are bubbling.
• Let cool completely or until just slightly warm, approximately 2 hours. Use the foil or parchment to remove the bars from the dish and cut into pieces. Re-warm if desired in pieces or as a whole. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

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.

BRANDIED CRANBERRY-APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• In a 4 cup glass measuring bowl combine raisins, cranberries, apricots, and brandy or water.
• Cover with plastic wrap; turn back a corner to vent.
• Cook on high for 2 minutes.
• (Or, place fruit and brandy in a saucepan; bring to boiling. Remove from heat.) Let stand for 20 minutes.
• Drain.
• For crust, in a medium mixing bowl stir together 1 cup flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar.
• Cut in margarine or butter till mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Press into an ungreased 8x8x2-inch baking pan.
• Bake in a 350* oven about 20 minutes.
• or till golden.
• In a medium bowl beat eggs with a mixer on low speed for 4 minutes.
• ;stir in the 1 cup brown sugar, the 1/2 cup flour, and vanilla.
• Add drained fruit and nuts; stir to mix.
• Pour mixture over crust; spread evenly.
• Bake about 40 minutes.
• or till a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean, covering with foil the last 10 minutes.
• to prevent over-browning.
• Cool.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.
• To serve, cut into squares.
• Makes 16 bars.

APRICOT BARS WITH SHORTBREAD CRUST

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• For the shortbread crust: blend flour, sugar and salt together for about 10 seconds in a processor.
• Add in cold butter using on/off turns, and process until coarse meal forms.
• Press crumbs firmly into bottom of the pan.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the center is golden, remove and keep oven heat on to same temperature.
• To make the filling: place apricots in a small saucepan and add enough water to cover; bring to a boil and simmer until soft (about 4 minutes) drain, and set aside.
• In a small bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
• Using an electric mixer beat eggs in a large bowl for about 2 minutes.
• Add in brown sugar and vanilla and beat until thick.
• Stir in flour mixture.
• Mix/mix in the apricots and nuts.
• Spread over the shortbread crust.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, or until puffed and dark golden brown.
• Cool in dish.
• Cut into small squares or triangles, and dust lightly with powdered sugar.