WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT SCONES: National Apricot Day!

Brr.. It's cold outside-- a perfect day for scones right out of the oven! I've posted many scone recipes over the years, but since today is National Apricot Day, here's a great recipe for White Chocolate Apricot Scones. There are no fresh apricots this time of year, at least not growing in my local area, so this recipe is perfect since it calls for dried apricots. I always have dried apricots in the refrigerator. I serve these scones with clotted cream (or unsalted butter if I don't have clotted cream) and a nice pot of tea!

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT SCONES 

Ingredients
2/3 cup unsalted butter
3 1⁄2 cups flour
1⁄4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
2⁄3 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 cup white chocolate chips (make sure it's 'real' white chocolate!)
2 eggs
2⁄3 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon vanilla
Optional (sugar for sprinkling)

Directions 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In large bowl cut together butter, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt using pastry blender (or use 2 table knives crisscrossing ingredients in opposite directions) until mixture is crumbly.
Stir in apricots and white chocolate chips.
Add eggs, half & half, and vanilla so dough separates from side of bowl and forms a ball.
Turn dough onto lightly floured surface and knead lightly 10 times (don't overwork).
Divide dough into two equal portions.
On greased baking sheets pat each portion of dough into an 8" circle, and cut each circle into 8 wedges.
Optional: Sprinkle with sugar
Bake about 15 minutes, until golden. Serve warm.

APRICOT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: National Apricot Day

Today is National Apricot Day. And, since this is a chocolate blog, what could be better than making Apricot Chocolate Chip Cookies. This recipe calls for dried apricots, a staple in our house. I use dark chocolate chips, but you can also use milk chocolate or white chocolate chips. Not into apricots? You can substitute dried cherries or cranberries or blueberries. This is a very versatile recipe.

APRICOT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (refer to Tips for Making the Very Best Cookies)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped into quarters or 1/4" pieces
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
4 ounces dark chocolate chips (or milk or white chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cream butter & brown sugar in medium-size mixing bowl until blended.
Beat in egg and vanilla.
Add flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring mixture into smooth dough.
Fold in apricots, nuts, and chocolate chips, making sure to distribute evenly.
Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 10 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
Cool cookies on sheet for 2 minutes before transferring with spatula to wire racks to cool.