POPULAR DRIED APRICOTS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 21, Issue 532, 2 September 1949, Page 22

POPULAR DRIED APRICOTS

F all dried fruits, apricots are probably the most | popular, but first restore ‘their moisture-content in cold water. Boiling water should not be used, unless the recipe specifies it. Use warm water for washing apricots be- | fore soaking, adding a little baking soda, then rinsing in clean water. @he average ruling is to soak 1lb. apricots in 2 pints water 24 hours. For an‘ apricot pie, however, use 3 pints water per / After 24 hours lift out apricots and bring unabsorbed water to the boil with llb. sugar, Boil 5 minutes, then put in apricots and simmer very gently 5 minutes after it comes back to boil. Then cool before putting on pastry | crust, For a sponge crust pour it on the fruit as usual and bake in hot oven, | Sponge Crust One egg, loz. butter, 1 breakfast cup flour, 1 teacup or less sugar, pinch salt, . tablespoons milk (or more), vanilla if liked. Beat egg and sugar, melt butter = with milk and add. Sift in flour, ete. our over hot fruit. Bake in hof oven 20 minutes. Or beat an egg well, add 4% cup sugar and beat again, Add 1 cup flour, pinch salt and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Mix with sufficient milk to make a thin batter and pour over hot fruit. . Bake in hot oven about 20 minutes. Apricot Filling Two cups stewed apricots, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 142 cups icing sugar, 142 tablespoons cornflour, 4 or 5 ripe bananas. Blend cornflour, sugar, a pinch of salt and add to apricot mixture which has been previously rubbed through sieve. Put into pan and bring to boil, stirring until it thickens. Mash bananas, add lemon juice and combine with apricot mixture. Remove from fire and beat all together until thick and creamy. Spread over tops of sponge sandwiches and put the layers together, Apricot Sago : Cook 2 or 3 tablespoons of sago in 1144 pints water slowly until smooth and thickened. Then beat in an equal quantity of sweetened stewed apricots: Serve hot with custard, or pat into wet mould and leave to set. Apricot Pudding Soak thick slice of stale bread in a pint of hot milk, Beat this up with an equal quantity of sweetened stewed apricots, adding beaten yolks of 2 eggs. Pour mixture into cooked pie-shell, and bake in hot oven till custard is set. Take out and cover with meringue made from the 2 egg whites and 4 tablespoons sugar. Return to oven to brown meringue. Apricot Date Bread Half cup finely cut dried apricots, 14 cup finely cut dates, 4% cup wholemeal flour, % cup milk, 1 beaten egg, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 tablespoon grated chia g ‘tind, 1 ‘cup white flour sifted with teaspoons baking powder, 1% teaspoon baking soda, 42 teaspoon

salt, and 14 cup sugar. Combine milk, egg, orange rind and butter, stir in sifted white flour, etc., and sugar, then mix in dried fruits combined with wholemeal. Mix all thoroughly, Bake in moderate oven approximately 50 minutes according to depth of loaf-pan. Jellied Apricots Three breakfast cups cooked apricots and juice unsweetened, % cup sugar, 2 level tablespoons powdered gelatine softened in 1% cup water, 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Heat apricots to boiling point, add sugar and simmer 10 minutes, then add gelatine. Stir well and cool, then add lemon juice. Turn into mould and leave to set. Serve with apricot whip made by beating until stiff 2-3rd cup stewed apricot pulp with 4% cup icing sugar and 1 egg white, Dried Apricot Jam Two pounds dried apricots, 5lb, sugar, 2 quarts water. Soak apricots in water 24 hours, drain off water, add sugar and boil. Put in apricots and boil until will set when tested. A few blanched almonds are an improvement, also juice of a lemon. Apricot and Rhubarb Jam Soak llb. dried apricots in 1 quart water 36 hours. Cut up 4lb. rhubarb, sprinkle with 2lb. sugar, leave overnight. Boil rhubarb and sugar, then add apricots and water, and cook till soft. Add 2lb. more of warm sugar, and boil till it will set when tested. Apricot and Lemon Jam One pound dried apricots, 11b, lemons, 5lb. sugar, 5 pints boiling water, Pour boiling water over apricots and stand overnight. Boil lemons whole until tender. Drain well, and when cold slice _very thinly, removing pips. Boil apricots until pulpy, then add lemons and sugar and boil until jam sets (usually 1 hour).