DRIED FRUIT RECIPES

New Zealand Listener, Volume 19, Issue 476, 6 August 1948, Page 22

DRIED FRUIT RECIPES

RIED apricots and peaches, prunes, figs, and raisins are all available now. Modern drying methods keep almost all the flavour, tenderness and foodvalue of the fresh-picked fruit. So the housewife’s "repertoire" of desserts and fillings and even stuffings may be varied nicely. Golden Fluff Pie This is an American recipe — the "crust" is simply desiccated coconut. Make the creamy ‘apricot filling like this: Soak and cook sufficient dried apricots to have one breakfastcup of thick puree-when sieved-probably about 212 cups. Stew them, drain, and save the liquid before pushing the apricots themselves through a_ sieve. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of powdered gelatine on 2 tablespoons of lemon-juice and let stand 5 minutes to soften. Beat up 2 egg-yolks in the top of a double saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, lg teaspoon salt, and % cup of the liquid you saved when draining. the cooked apricots. Cook this mixture over hot water, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Then blend in the gelatine and lemon-juice, and stir until dissolved. Now add your breakfastcup of apricot puree, and 2 tablespoons of grated orange rind. When all is nicely blended, cool it: Beat the 2 egg-whites until they form. moist peaks and then gradually beat into them 4% cup sugar, beating till stiff. Fold this lightly into the apricot mixture. Now whip up 2 cup of the best cream (or top-milk) you can manage, and fold that in too. Butter a 9-inch pie plate, and sprinkle with 14 cup.of shredded coconut. Pour in the apricot mixture, sprinkle more coconut over the top, and chill until set and firm. For a smaller pie, halve the ingtedients and use a 6-inch pie plate. I suppose you could use the same filling in a baked pastry shell if no coconut is available. Raisin and Apple Tart Line: a deep pie plate with rich pastry. Cover with about 24% cups of quartered tart apples and 144 cups of raisins. Mix up 1 cup brown sugar, teaspoon nutmeg and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and sprinkle this all over the fruit. Dot with little dabs of butter (even 1 tablespoonful will go a long way); add about 3 tablespoons of water. Cover the whole with a top crust, moistening the edges and decorating with a fork. Slash or prick the top crust to let out steam. Dust over with a little mixed sugar and cinnamon, and start with a hot oven (400deg.) for first 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 350dég. and cook till done-about 45 minutes. Dried Apricot Filling This makes enough for a three-layer sponge cake, with filling over the top and sides as well as between layers. You need 2 cups of stewed apricot pulp pushed through a sieve. Blend together

114 tablespoons best cornflour, 112 cups of icing sugar and a pinch of salt, and stir it into the apricot pulp. Put it into the top of a double saucepan (or a basin standing in a pan of boiling water) and bring to the boil, stirring all the time, until it thickens. Then add 4 or 5 ripe bananas which have been pulped up with 2 good teaspoons of lemon juice (using a silver fork). Stir in well, and then remove from the heat and beat the whole mixture until thick and creamy. "Spread between the cake-lay-ers and over the top and sides; afterwerds sprinkling with coconut. This filling could. also be used for tarts. Dried Peach Jam One pound dried peaches; 2 lemons; 41416. sugar; 2 quarts water, Soak peaches all night in the water. Next en ie

day, boil up until tender, add sugar gradually, stirring until properly dissolved. Then boil fast till it will set when tested--perhaps 20 to 30 minutes, Test frequently. Fig Pudding This is a lovely steamed pudding, with the figs and apples mixed in like a plum duff. Four ounces flour; 40z. shredded suet, 40z. breadcrumbs, 40z. sugar; %41b, figs, 1 large epple, 1 teaspoon baking powder, milk to mix. Chop up figs and apple small. Mix as usual, and moisten with milk. Steam 24% to 3 hours.