Apricot Pistachio Shortbread Recipes

APRICOT PISTACHIO SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C and line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin.
• In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the chunks of butter and process until it forms large clumps - may a minute or so. Press the dough firmly and evenly into your baking tin with floured fingers. Bake for 15 minutes or until very pale golden.
• In your food processor (don't bother washing it out), grind the pistachios, flour, salt, and sugar to a powder (or as fine as you can make it!). Add the butter and process until no longer visible. Add egg and vanilla, blending until it forms a smooth paste.
• Spread the filling over the cooked base. To decorate like I have in the photos, cut the apricots into diagonal strips, then slide each half onto a knife and fan over the pistachio frangipane. Alternatively, you could put the halves straight on or cut the apricots into slices and decorate as you wish.
• Bake the slice for 50 minutes, or until they are golden and a skewer inserted into the pistachio comes out clean. Leave in pan to cool.
• Dust with icing sugar to decorate and cut into squares. I couldn't wait for them to cool and cut them while still warm - and they were amazing - but Deb recommends to rest them in the fridge to cool completely before cutting.
• Keep left over slice in the fridge.

APRICOT-PISTACHIO SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds or until smooth. On low speed, beat in almond extract, flour and salt until soft dough forms. Stir in apricots and nuts. Shape dough into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 45 minutes.
• Heat oven to 350°F. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. With floured 2 1/2-inch square or round cookie cutter, cut dough into 25 squares or rounds. On ungreased cookie sheet, place squares about 1 inch apart.
• Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

APRICOT-PISTACHIO TRIANGLES

Steps:

• Once the flour is incorporated according to dough recipe, beat in dried apricots and pistachios. Divide dough into 2 pieces. Shape each into a 10-inch-long triangular log. Wrap in parchment. Refrigerate until very firm, about 2 hours.
• Slice dough crosswise slightly thicker than 1/8 inch. Reshape if needed. Bake at 350 degrees on parchment-lined baking sheets until firm, 12 to 14 minutes.

APRICOT TART WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lay 1 sheet phyllo on a parchment-lined 12-by-18-inch rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon butter and brush to coat the entire phyllo sheet.
• Top with another sheet and butter as above. Repeat with 7 more sheets, for a total of 9, buttering as you go. The final, top layer should also be buttered. (The rest of the phyllo can be wrapped and frozen for future use.)
• Dot the top sheet with jam by the teaspoon, then, using a spatula, spread the jam to cover the entire sheet, leaving a 2-inch border.
• Sprinkle a layer of half the chopped pistachios over the jam. Place the apricot wedges, skin-side down, in even rows across the surface, then sprinkle again with remaining pistachios.
• Carefully fold over the edges on all sides of the tart to make a 10-by-16-inch rectangle. Brush folded sides with butter. Sprinkle sugar generously over apricots and folded edges.
• Bake until pastry is golden and apricots begin to color, about 1 hour. Cool for 15 minutes, then cut into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature.

APRICOT-PISTACHIO ROLLED PORK

Steps:

• To cut pork roast into a large rectangle that can be filled and rolled, cut lengthwise about 1/2 inch from top of pork to within 1/2 inch of opposite edge; open flat. Repeat with other side of pork, cutting from the inside edge to the outer edge; open flat to form rectangle.
• Sprinkle apricots, 1/2 cup nuts, the garlic, salt and pepper over pork to within 1 inch of edge. Tightly roll up pork, beginning with short side. Secure with toothpicks, or tie with string. Pierce pork all over with metal skewer. Brush brandy over entire surface. Let stand 15 minutes. Brush again with remaining brandy. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours but no longer than 24 hours.
• Heat oven to 325°F. Place pork, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of pork. Roast uncovered 1 hour 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in cracker crumbs, 2 tablespoons nuts and garlic salt; cook and stir 1 minute. Cool slightly.
• Brush preserves over pork. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Roast uncovered 30 to 60 minutes longer or until thermometer reads 160°F. Cover and let stand 15 minutes before serving for easier carving.