CHOCOLATE DIPPED APRICOTS: National Apricot Day!

I love apricots, fresh or dried. They are one of my favorite fruits. So today in honor of National Apricot Day, here's a recipe for Chocolate Dipped Apricots. The brandy is optional and the type of chocolate you use will change the results, maybe for the better. Who doesn't love chocolate dipped fruit? This is so simple and the chocolate dipped apricots will look and taste fabulous!

Chocolate Dipped Apricots
Makes About 40

1/2 cup broken pieces of a good dark chocolate (65% cacao or more)
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
Dried apricots

Combine chocolate and brandy in top of double boiler and heat until melted and smooth.

Dip half of each apricot into chocolate and place on wax paper lined pan. Refrigerate one to two hours until chocolate is firm. Keep in a cool place.

Tip: Want to dress up your Chocolate Dipped Apricots? Dip the hot chocolate part of the covered apricot in ground pistachio nuts, sea salt, or crushed walnuts. 

CHOCOLATE APRICOT CREAM CAKES: National Apricot Day

Today is National Apricot Day! Add Chocolate. Here's a Retro Baker Ad and recipe for Chocolate Apricot Cream Cakes. Perfect to make today! As a bonus, the second recipe for Chocolate Upside Down Cake can be made with apricots instead of peaches.

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT SCONES: National Apriocot Day

It's blustery outside today, and scones right out of the oven are perfect for this cold rainy weather. I've posted lots of scone recipes, but since today is National Apricot Day, I thought I'd post this easy recipe for White Chocolate Apricot Scones. 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 or pantry. I serve these scones with clotted cream (or unsalted butter) and a nice pot of tea!

WHITE CHOCOLATE APRICOT SCONES

Ingredients
2/3 cup 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 as many as you'd like)

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.

Chocolate Chunk Apricot Cookies: National Apricot Day

Today is National Apricot Day! I love Apricots, but this isn't the season for fresh ones. No problem, dried apricots are wonderful and  can be used in lots of way. You can just dip them in dark chocolate or you can dip them in dark chocolate and roll them in pistachios. You can chop them up and add them to a nice chocolate nut loaf. So many choices.

Here's an easy recipe for Chocolate Chunk Apricot Cookies. I use 70% dark chocolate, but use what you have available or what you like. You can always add some dried cherries to the mix! This is a very versatile recipe.

CHOCOLATE CHUNK APRICOT COOKIES

Ingredients
1/2 cup sweet butter, room temperature (refer to cookie making tips)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp Madagascar 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 1/2" pieces
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped
4 ounces dark chocolate, chopped into biggish chunks (1/2")

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 chopped dark chocolate, making sure to distribute evenly.
Drop batter by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased 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.

National Apricot Day: Chocolate Dipped Apricots

I love apricots, fresh or dried. They are one of my favorite fruits. So today in honor of National Apricot Day, here's a recipe for Chocolate Dipped Apricots. The brandy is optional and the type of chocolate you use will change the results.. maybe for the better. Who doesn't love chocolate dipped fruit? This is so simple and the chocolate dipped apricots will look and taste fabulous!

Chocolate Dipped Apricots
Makes About 40

1/2 cup broken pieces of a good dark chocolate (65% cacao or more)
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
Dried apricots

Combine chocolate and brandy in top of double boiler and heat until melted and smooth.

Dip half of each apricot into chocolate and place on wax paper lined pan. Refrigerate one to two hours until chocolate is firm. Keep in a cool place.