Chocolate Apricot Pud With Glossy Chocolate Sauce Recipes

CHOCOLATY APRICOTS

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Put the chocolate chips in a heatproof glass bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water. Heat the chocolate, stirring, until completely melted and smooth.
• Dip each apricot one-half to three-quarters of the way into the chocolate, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. Place on the prepared baking sheet to set.

GLOSSY CHOCOLATE SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Heat corn syrup and chocolate over low heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate is melted; remove from heat.
• 2. Stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm or cold. Store covered in refrigerator up to 10 days. Reheat slightly before serving if desired.

CHOCOLATE-APRICOT BABKA

Steps:

• To make dough, combine flours, salt and all but 1 tablespoon sugar in mixer fitted with dough attachment and mix on medium speed. In a small bowl, stir yeast with one tablespoon warm water and reserved tablespoon sugar just until sugar and yeast have dissolved. Reduce mixer speed to low, add yeast mixture, milk, eggs and vanilla. Beat until dough is shiny and elastic, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Add one stick butter by spoonfuls until thoroughly incorporated, then beat on low speed for about 5 minutes. When finished, dough should be silken and rich like very thick ice cream. Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside. When dough has doubled in size, after 2 hours, flour a cutting board and your hands. Then push dough down on board, cover well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight.
• To make filling, purée apricot preserves in a food processor until smooth. In a small bowl, combine cake crumbs, preserves and butter; mix until smooth. Set aside. Grate chocolate by hand in large holes of a box grater or in a food processor. If using a food processor, pulse into large chunks. Set aside.
• To make streusel topping, in a small bowl mix flour, sugar and cinnamon. Add cold butter and using your fingers, mix together until crumbly. Set aside.
• To assemble, line one Bundt pan or two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans with parchment paper, not letting paper come more than 1 inch above top of pans. Remove dough from refrigerator and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one piece of dough into a 12 x 8-inch rectangle.
• Using a metal spatula, spread half the apricot filling over dough within 1/2 inch of edges. Sprinkle with half the grated chocolate. Beginning with long side, roll dough up tightly and fold in ends. Twist babka lengthwise to create a spiral, holding one end of babka in each hand. Place twisted babka in half the prepared Bundt pan or in a loaf pan, pressing dough firmly into pan. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Brush babka top with melted butter and sprinkle with half the streusel. Repeat with second half of babka dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let loaves rise at room temperature until they reach top of pan or about doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees and bake for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Allow babka to cool for 30 minutes before cutting. Slice babka and serve.

EASY CHOCOLATE-APRICOT BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan generously with cooking spray.
• Mix oil, water, and eggs together in a bowl. Stir in brownie mix until just moistened. Spread 2/3 of the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• While brownies are baking, warm apricot jam in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Remove brownies from the oven and sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Spread warm jam over the entire surface. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining brownie batter over the surface of the jam.
• Return to the oven and continue to bake until edges are dry but brownies still look slightly underdone, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

ENGLISH CHOCOLATE TRIFLE WITH APRICOTS AND RASPBERRIES

Steps:

• For Pudding:
• Whisk yolks, sugar and cornstarch in medium bowl. Bring half and half to simmer in heavy large saucepan. Gradually whisk hot half and half into yolk mixture. Return mixture to same saucepan and whisk over medium heat until custard boils. Boil 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. Pour pudding into large bowl. Add white chocolate and butter and whisk until smooth. Chill until thick and cold, whisking occasionally, about 3 hours.
• For Apricots:
• Line cookie sheet with foil. Brush foil lightly with vegetable oil. Combine 2/3 cup water, honey, sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves. Add apricots and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
• Transfer 5 apricots and 1/4 cup poaching syrup to heavy small skillet. Combine remaining apricots with remaining poaching syrup, 3 tablespoons water and 2 tablespoons lemon juice in processor and puree. Pour puree into bowl. Cook apricots in skillet over high heat until syrup is reduced to glaze, turning apricots once, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer candied apricots to foil. Cool. Mix any syrup from skillet into puree. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover candied apricots and puree separately and let stand at room temperature.)
• For Dark Chocolate Cream:
• Bring cream and corn syrup to simmer in heavy medium saucepan. Reduce heat to low. Add chocolate and whisk until melted. Chill until cold but still pourable, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
• Cut cakes into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 4 squares. Arrange enough cake in 4-quart glass trifle dish to cover bottom, fitting tightly. Mix rum and liqueur in bowl. Drizzle 3 tablespoons over cake. Drop 1/3 of apricot puree by spoonfuls over cake. Gently spread with back of spoon, allowing puree to show at sides of bowl. Reserve 1/4 basket berries for garnish. Sprinkle 1/3 of remaining berries over puree, arranging some berries to show at sides of bowl. Starting 1 inch in from sides of bowl, pour 1/3 of dark chocolate cream over, making sure it does not touch sides of bowl. Starting at edge, pour 2 cups white chocolate pudding over chocolate cream. Repeat layering with remaining cake, rum mixture, apricot puree, berries, dark chocolate cream and white chocolate pudding in 2 more layers each. Smooth top. Cover and chill overnight.
• Spoon whipped cream into pastry bag fitted with medium star tip. Pipe around edge of trifle. Top with candied apricots and reserved berries. (Can be made 8 hours ahead; chill.) Serve cold.