Chocolate Dipped Apricot Fruitcakes Recipes

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED APRICOT FRUITCAKES

Steps:

• Grease and flour two 13x9-in. baking pans. Line the bottoms with waxed paper; set aside. Combine the apricots, pecans, dates, raisins and 1/2 cup flour; set aside. , In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the apricot nectar, honey, cream and lemon juice; beat well (mixture will appear curdled)., Combine the baking powder, cinnamon, salt, allspice and remaining flour; add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Add apricot mixture and stir well (batter will be very thick)., Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 275° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., Set aside one cake for

APRICOT FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Grease two 9 inch tube pans.
• In a saucepan over medium heat cook apricots in the water until they are mushy. Press them through a sieve and let them cool.
• Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks until lemony colored. Then beat the egg whites until stiff peaks are formed. Set aside.
• Cream the butter or margarine and sugar together. Add the beaten egg yolks and the apricots, and mix thoroughly.
• Combine the raisins, candied cherries, candied pineapple, and mixed dried fruits in a bowl coated with one cup of the flour.
• Combine the remaining flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this flour mixture alternately to the creamed mixture with the apricot juice. Blend this batter into the mixed fruits. Add the chopped pecans or walnuts and fold in the beaten egg whites. Turn the batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake at 275 degrees F (135 degrees C) for 2 hours. Garnish cakes with candied pineapples and cherries. Makes about 24 servings.

APRICOT & ALMOND FRUITCAKE

Steps:

• Mix the sultanas and sherry and set aside for 1 hr to soak.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease a deep, 23cm loose-bottomed cake tin, and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment that comes about 2.5cm above the sides of the tin. In your largest mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one by one.
• Stir in the flour, baking powder, and the ground and flaked almonds. Next, add the soaked sultanas with any remaining sherry, the dried apricots, the mixed peel, and all the zest and juice. Scrape into the cake tin, smoothing out the surface.
• Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 1 hr 25 mins. Poke with a skewer in the centre to check it is cooked - if the skewer comes out with any uncooked mixture stuck to it, bake for 10 mins more before checking again. Cool in the tin. Decorated, or wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil, the cake will keep for up to a month.

DARK CHOCOLATE COVERED APRICOT PRETZEL CRISPS®

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Arrange Snack Factory® Pretzel Crisps® on sheet.
• Melt chocolate in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 15-second intervals, stirring after each melting, 1 to 3 minutes.
• Dip each apricot in the dark chocolate, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Place on top of Snack Factory® Pretzel Crisp®.
• Sprinkle lightly with toasted pecans. Allow chocolate to set before serving.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED APRICOT BALLS

Steps:

• In a food processor chop fine the apricots and hazelnuts and mix in enough of the liqueur to hold the mixture together. Shape the mixture into 1-inch balls, roll the balls lightly in the sugar, and let them stand at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours.
• In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally, until it is smooth and remove it from the heat. Coat half of each ball with the chocolate, letting the excess drip off and wiping the underside of the ball gently against the side of the double boiler. Chill the balls on a baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper until the chocolate has hardened.
• The confections keep, chilled, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED NOUGAT WITH DRIED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Spray a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with waxed paper, allowing the paper to overhang by 2-inches on each side. Lightly spray the waxed paper inside the pan.
• In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and honey over low heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, and cook until the syrup turns amber and registers 315 degrees F on a candy thermometer, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• While the syrup is cooking, in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes.
• With the mixer running on low speed, slowly pour the syrup into the egg whites. Increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is very thick, about 7 minutes. Beat in the vanilla extract. Fold in 1/2 of the apricots. Using a spatula sprayed with cooking spray, scrape the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining apricots on top. Fold the overhanging pieces of waxed paper onto the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate until firm, about 4 hours.
• Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Remove the waxed paper from the nougat and discard. Using a knife sprayed with cooking spray, cut the nougat in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 8 pieces. Dip 1 end of the nougat into the melted chocolate and place on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

EASY CHOCOLATE-DIPPED APRICOTS (APRICOT CHANUKAH GELT)

Steps:

• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Heat chocolate over a double-boiler. Allow the water in the boiler to get hot but not fully boil. Use a plastic spatula to scrape chocolate away from the sides. Remove from heat as soon as the chocolate is melted. If you prefer to use a microwave, melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in short intervals, stirring well with spatula.
• Immediately add all the apricots to the pot melted chocolate, and stir gently until they are all coated fully. Carefully lift each piece out of the pot with a fork, allowing some of the excess chocolate to drip off. For a more sophisticated look, you can also try holding each apricot by one end with your fingers and dipping only half of it into the chocolate.
• Place carefully on parchment-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate until the chocolate has become firm (20-30 minutes). Optionally, you can wrap individually in foil wrappers to give as gifts. Store in the refrigerator - If refrigerated, they can last up to a week (though they are best if eaten within 3 days).

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Melt and temper the chocolate (see pages 25-30).
• Hold an apricot half securely between your thumb and forefinger, and dip it halfway into the chocolate. Remove the apricot from the chocolate, gently shake off the excess chocolate, and place the apricot half on the paper. Repeat with the remaining apricot halves. Let the chocolate set up at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Between layers of waxed paper, in a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the apricot halves will keep for 2 weeks in the refrigerator. They are best eaten at room temperature.
• VARIATIONS
• Substitute dried peaches or dried pears for the apricots. Dip these halfway into the chocolate on the diagonal for an interesting design.

CHOCOLATE COVERED APRICOTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, melt chocolate chips in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between.
• Add shortening; stir until blended.
• Dip apricots half-way in the chocolate, shake off excess, cool on waxed paper. Let chocolate set, then refrigerate.