Definitive Apricot Squares Recipe - Cooking Index
Definitive Apricot Squares Recipe - Cooking Index
| Filling | ||
| 3/4 cup | 177ml | Water - (to 1 1/2 cups) |
| 4 cups | 948ml | Dried apricots - (abt 1 lb) - cut in half |
| 2 tablespoons | 30ml | Lemon juice - (to 3 tbspns) |
| 1/3 cup | 65g / 2.3oz | Sugar |
| 2 | Orange oil - (to 3) - (optional) | |
| Crust | ||
| 2 cups | 125g / 4.4oz | Flour |
| 1/3 cup | 65g / 2.3oz | Sugar |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.3ml | Salt |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.5ml | Baking powder |
| 1 teaspoon | 5ml | Finely-minced lemon zest |
| 1 cup | 198g / 7oz | Butter |
| 8 oz | 227g | Cream cheese |
| 1 | Egg | |
| 1 teaspoon | 5ml | Vanilla extract |
| Assembly | ||
| Flour - for rolling | ||
| Nonstick cooking spray | ||
| 1 | Egg white - beaten | |
| Sugar |
For the Filling: Combine water, apricots, lemon juice, sugar and orange oil in small saucepan. Water should just cover apricots. Heat over low heat and stir as fruit cooks and softens, 8 to 12 minutes. Add water if mixture seems to require it (water evaporates quicker than fruit softens).
Remove from stove and let mixture cool completely. Puree mixture in food processor to make smooth paste. (May be refrigerated or frozen up to 3 months. If chilled filling is too firm, loosen from bowl by placing in microwave 1 to 2 minutes and working with fork to make it pliable.)
For the Crust: Place flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and lemon zest in food processor and pulse to combine ingredients. Add butter and cream cheese in chunks. Pulse, then add egg and vanilla and process 1 to 3 minutes until dough sticks together. Chill 15 minutes.
To Assemble: On well-floured board, roll out 1/2 dough to fit 9-inch-square baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Pat into place.
Spread apricot filling on top. Roll out remaining dough to fit (rolling on floured parchment paper and then peeling off as you lay top dough down on filling). Cross hatch top lightly with paring knife, then brush with egg white and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
Place on baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees until lightly browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool before cutting into squares.
This recipe yields 16 squares.
Each square: 319 calories; 220 mg sodium; 60 mg cholesterol; 17 grams fat; 40 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 1 gram fiber.
Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 09-29-1999
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