Sweet Apricot Candy Recipes

APRICOT CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Slice the top off the half head of garlic with a sharp knife, exposing the cloves. Discard the top. Place the head of garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, drizzle with 1/4 teaspoon of olive oil, and wrap the foil around the garlic. Roast in the preheated oven until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
• While garlic is roasting, place the onion and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a saucepan over medium heat and cook and stir until the onion is browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the apricot preserves, vinegar, ginger, cayenne pepper, and salt until thoroughly combined.
• Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins, and mash them in a bowl with a spoon. Mix the garlic into the chutney; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir carefully because any splashes of chutney will be burning hot.
• Pack the chutney into sterilized jars and process to seal.

SWEET APRICOT CANDY

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the marshmallow creme, butter, vanilla, salt and orange zest; beat until well blended. Gradually add 2 cups confectioners' sugar; beat until combined (mixture will be stiff). By hand, knead in the apricots, pecans and enough remaining confectioners' sugar to make a very stiff mixture., Press into a greased 8-in. square pan. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Cut into 1-in. squares.

APRICOT SWEET & SOUR SAUCE

Steps:

• Place all the ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Bring to a low boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender and blend thoroughly.
• Cool and refrigerate.
• Can keep for 3 weeks.

SWEET POTATO AND APRICOT PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Prick potatoes and bake in middle of oven for at least 1 hour, or until very soft. Allow to cool and then scoop flesh into a bowl.
• In a saucepan cover apricots by 1 inch with cold water and simmer until soft, about 30 minutes. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking liquid and drain apricots.
• Puree apricots in a food processor with the granulated sugar and reserved liquid, until smooth.
• Add puree and salt to potatoes. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread mixture into a greased shallow 2-qt baking dish. (Note: Puree may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and kept chilled and covered).
• Reduce oven temperature to 400.
• In a small bowl blend remaining ingredients (flour, brown sugar, butter, pecans, and dash salt) with your fingers until combined well. Sprinkle over puree. Bake in oven until heated through and topping is bubbly, about 15 minutes.

APRICOT-PECAN SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Place the sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and allow to steam dry for a minute or two.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Mix together brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, apricot nectar, water, and orange peel in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. When the sauce is thick, stir in the butter and pecans. Place the sweet potato chunks into the prepared baking dish, and pour the sauce over to coat all the potatoes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until tender and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

SWEET POTATO-APRICOT CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Combine apricots, water and sugar and cook until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid in a saucepan.
• Peel, slice and cook yams in water until tender, about 15 minutes.
• Grease casserole. Alternate layers of sliced yams, apricots and lemon slices in casserole.
• Add brown sugar, butter and apricot brandy to the saucepan with apricot liquid and heat until butter is melted. Pour over casserole.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Sprinkle nuts over casserole 10 minutes before removing from oven.