Apricot Fold Ups Recipes

APRICOT FOLDOVERS

Steps:

• Soak apricots in brandy for at least an hour, but preferably overnight.
• Drain and reserve liquid.
• In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar and allspice, cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
• (can be done quickly with a few pulses in a food processor) Combine egg yolk and sour cream and gently blend mixture into butter/flour mixture.
• Divide dough in quarters and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or, preferably, overnight.
• Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Roll out each quarter the dough into 1/8 thickness, cut with a 2 1/2" round (fluted is preferred) cookie cutter.
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, place one apricot on half of each cookie and fold over other half to leave apricot partially exposed.
• Bake for aprox 12 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Cool on a rack.
• While baking prepare next batch.
• For icing combine powdered sugar with 2-3 tblspn of the reserved apricot brandy.
• I like to cook the brandy until the alcohol smell is gone, but it's fine either way.
• After completly cooled dip half the cookie in icing and leave on a wire rack to dry for several hours.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about a week, but are at their peak for 2-3 days.

APRICOT KOLACHES

Steps:

• Place dried apricots in a small saucepan and pour in just enough water to cover the apricots. Boil until the apricots are soft. Do not let all the water evaporate. Add a little bit more to keep the filling from burning.
• Add the sugar and continue to cook until thick.
• Either puree in a food processor or with an immersion blender in a bowl. If the filling is too runny, return it to the sauce pot to continue to cook.
• You can make the filling ahead of time and freeze it until you are ready to use it. Just thaw at room temperature when you are ready to use.
• Sift flour and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
• Beat the cream cheese and butter together with a stand mixer or a hand mixer until completely incorporated and creamy (3-5 minutes).
• Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the flour. I used 5 additions and completely mixed in the flour each time. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and flatten each to ¾" thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until hard, at least 2 hours.
• Pre-heat the oven to 375F. Move the oven rack one setting higher than the center.
• Take one of the disks of dough from the refrigerator and lightly flour both sides. Spread granulated sugar on your pastry board or work surface. Place the dough on top and roll out pastry to 1/16" to 1/8" thick. Most recipes say 1/8" but my Husband remembered them being thinner.
• With a pastry wheel or sharp knife, trim the dough into a square and then cut the square into 16 smaller squares. My dough never rolled out into a perfect circle so I would just cut as many 1 1/2 " squares a possible, saving the scraps for later.
• Place a dollop of filling into the center of each square. I used ½ teaspoon to ¾ teaspoon for each.
• Gently grab two opposite corners and fold one over the other, gently pressing down to try and seal them together. Gently move it to a parchment covered baking sheet. Repeat with all remaining squares.
• Sprinkle the middles of the kolaches with just a touch of granulated sugar.
• Placing the kolaches no closer than 1" apart.
• Bake 12-14 minutes or until the bottom edges are a golden and you can smell them. Let cool slightly on the pan on a wire rack and then move them gently to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Repeat with all remaining dough. Refrigerate and re-roll your scraps. Amazing.

DELICIOUS APRICOT FOLD-OVER COOKIES

Steps:

• 1. Cream butter and cheese till light. Blend sifted flour into creamed mixture. Add water and mix well. Chill 4-5 hours.
• 2. Meanwhile, cook dried apricots according to package directions. Drain well.
• 3. Stir sugar into hot fruit: cook and stir till mixture boils and becomes smooth; cool. Divide chilled dough in half.
• 4. Roll each half to 10-inch squares; cut 2½-inch squares. Place tsp apricot filling in each square; bring up diagonal corners and seal.
• 5. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 F for 8-10 minutes.
• 6. Makes about 2½ dozen cookies.
• 7. Enjoy the recipe with full details @ http://goo.gl/UrEHe4