Apricot Raisin Nut Swirls Recipes

DANISH PASTRIES

Steps:

• Pulse together the dry ingredients plus 2 tsp salt in a processor, then pulse in the milk and egg, plus 100ml water, until you have a smooth, slightly sticky dough. Knead for 1 min, using a little flour, until just smooth. Put into an oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hr until doubled in size (overnight in the fridge if you like).
• Flour your surface, then pat the dough out to a rectangle, 1cm thick. Lay the butter slices out over the middle of the dough, in a rectangle. Fold the pastry over the top, bottom and then sides until the butter is completely hidden. Press the edges down.
• Roll the dough out to a 50 x 30cm rectangle, first tapping out the dough with the rolling pin in gentle ridges, so that you can tell the butter is being squashed out evenly inside the pastry, before rolling properly. Turn dough 90 degrees, then fold the right third over and the left third over that. Do this three times, chilling for 15 mins after each roll.
• Cut the dough in half, into 2 squares. Roll one piece of dough to 35 x 35cm. Cut into 9 squares, then follow the instructions below for each filling and shape. If you want to make more than one shape, it's easy to divide the filling quantity. Don't worry if your squares rise as you work, just roll them out a bit again.
• To make 18 pecan pinwheels, whizz 85g pecans until fine, then stir in 50g light muscovado, 1 tbsp maple syrup and 25g softened butter. Cut each square of pastry almost to the middle from each corner, spoon on 1 tsp filling, then fold each point over and press into the middle. Scatter more chopped pecans and a little sugar over before baking. Drizzle with a little maple syrup to serve.
• For 18 apricot custard turnovers, you will need 150g tub custard, 2 x 320g cans apricots and a few tsps apricot jam. Put 2 tsp custard in the middle, sit two apricot halves on top, dot with jam, then pull 2 corners over and pinch to seal.
• To make 18 raisin swirls, mix 50g raisins, 25g caster sugar, 1 tsp mixed spice and 50g soft butter. Instead of cutting the dough into 9, leave it whole and spread the filling over. Roll up, slice into 9 rounds, then squash each one. Blend 50g icing sugar and a few drops of water to drizzle over once baked.
• Once shaped and filled, let the pastries rise for 30 mins until puffed and doubled in size. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Brush with beaten egg, make sure you pinch any edges together again, then bake for about 20 mins until golden and risen.

APRICOT RAISIN BREAD (BREAD MACHINE)

Steps:

• Heat cold milk for 30 seconds in the microwave; hold eggs under tap water for a minute to warm.
• Add ingredients according to your manufacturer's directions.
• Set Cycle: Sweet, Size, 2lb.
• After about 5 minutes, check your dough: Add a tablespoon of water if too dry, or a tablespoon of flour if too wet, until dough is smooth.
• Alternatively, set cycle to dough, take dough out and shape as desired.
• I like to divide the dough in half, then divide each half into three, roll into ropes and braid, joining the dough ends together to create a braided circle.
• Leave to rise until doubled, bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

APRICOTS IN RUM-RAISIN SAUCE

Steps:

• Boil apricot syrup in heavy small saucepan until reduced to 2/3 cup, about 15 minutes. Mix in 3 tablespoons raisins, 2 tablespoons rum and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 minute. Transfer to medium bowl and mix in 3 tablespoons honey. Refrigerate sauce until cold, at least 1 hour. Mix in apricots. (Rum-raisin sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep refrigerated.) Scoop ice cream into bowls; top with apricots and sauce.

APRICOT RAISIN RUGELACH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese until well blended. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Shape into four 5-in. logs; cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight., On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 log into a 12x8-in. rectangle. Spread with about 1/4 cup spreadable fruit; sprinkle with 5 tablespoons walnuts and 1/4 cup raisins. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle 2 tablespoons over the top. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Repeat with remaining logs. Chill., Place rolls, seam side down, 4 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Brush with cream; sprinkle with remaining sugar. With a serrated knife, make 1/2-in.-deep cuts 1 in. apart on roll-ups. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to a cutting board; cut each roll into 12 slices. Cool on wire racks.

APRICOT BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Soak apricots in warm water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, cream the sugar, butter and egg. Stir in orange juice. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until combined. Drain apricots well; add to batter with nuts. Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.

CINNAMON SWIRLS

Steps:

• Mix the butter, caster and icing sugar, egg yolks and vanilla with a wooden spoon until creamy, then mix in the flour in 2 batches. Roll out to a 20 x 30cm rectangle on a sheet of baking parchment. Mix the demerara sugar with the cinnamon, sprinkle all over the dough, then gently roll over a rolling pin again to press the sugar in a little. Roll up from one of the 20cm sides using the parchment to help, wrap in the parchment and chill for 30 mins, or up to a day.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Thinly slice into about 20 biscuits, scatter with a pinch more sugar, then bake on baking sheets for 10-12 mins until golden.