Early to Rise
Three recipes using apricots are perfect for celebrating Mother's day - and spring.
Apricots are the early risers - or is that ripeners? - of the stone-fruit clan. Peaches and nectarines wait until well into the summer, but apricots begin to ripen in mid-May, and most years, apricot season kicks into high gear by the end of the month. Like peaches and nectarines, apricots are distantly related to almonds. You can leverage that kinship in a rustic cake - no glaze, no ganache, no butter-cream or other froufrou topping - just apricots and almonds, simple and in synch. For the pancakes, apricots get another nutty partner in the pecans, and as a dessert best served with ice cream, they pair with spicy, floral Gewurztraminer wine. Any one of these treats will bring an early taste of summer to your Mother's Day.
APRICOT AND TOASTED ALMOND CAKE
MAKES ONE 9 1/2-INCH CAKE
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing pan
2 cups plus 1 tablespoon flour, plus extra for dusting pan
3/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted until light golden and cooled
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1, cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 pound apricots (4 to 5 medium), each cut into
8 evenly sized chunks
Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 1/2-inch springform pan, dust with flour, tap out excess flour, and set pan aside.
Process 1/2 cup almonds and 1 tablespoon flour in a food processor until very finely ground, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl, add remaining 2 cups flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to combine.
In the work bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a handheld electric mixer), cream the butter for 1 minute. Scrape bowl, add 1 1/3 cups sugar, and beat on mediumhigh, scraping as necessary, until butter and sugar are very pale and creamy, about 2 1/2 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to medium and beat in eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and almond extracts until fully incorporated. Reduce mixer speed to low, add one-third of the dry ingredients and beat until incorporated. Add half of the buttermilk and continue beating until incorporated. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, ending with dry ingredients, and beat just until batter is well blended.
Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Place apricot pieces skinside down on the surface of cake, leaving a 1-inch border around the perimeter, and sprinkle apricots with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup almonds evenly around perimeter of batter.
Bake until top of cake is golden brown, edges of apricot pieces are beginning to darken, and a toothpick or cake tester inserted into center of the cake comes out clean and dry, about 65 minutes. Transfer cake to a cooling rack, cool for 15 minutes, and remove springform-pan ring. Cool cake to room temperature, slice, and serve.
APRICOT-PECAN PANCAKES
SERVES 4 (MAKES ABOUT 18 4-INCH PANCAKES)
2 cups flour
6 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 cups buttermilk
2 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract Vegetable oil, for griddle
1 1/4 pounds apricots (about 10 medium), finely chopped
1 cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat egg, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients and stir gently to just blend (do not overmix - it's OK if batter is slightly lumpy). Allow batter to rest about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, very lightly brush a large seasoned or nonstick griddle or skillet with about 1/2 teaspoon oil and set over medium-high heat. In a small bowl, toss apricots and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Pour about 1/4 cup batter onto several spots on the griddle; sprinkle each evenly with about 1 tablespoon each of apricots and pecans, and cook until large bubbles begin to appear, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until golden brown on second side, about 1 1/2 minutes more, and serve at once. Repeat with remaining batter.
GEWURZTRAMINER-POACHED APRICOTS
SERVES 4
Apricots that are a day or two away from being perfectly ripe will, when poached, hold their shape better than fully ripe fruit. Serve over a scoop of vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, with a butter cookie or two alongside.
2 cups Gewurztraminer
2/3, cups sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 3-inch piece vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped into wine with tip of a knife, or 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large strips zest from one lemon
3 bay leaves
8 medium apricots, halved
1 tablespoon cognac or brandy, optional
In a large, straight-sided saute pan, combine wine, sugar, cinnamon stick, vanilla, lemon zest, and bay leaves and bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar. Boil for 2 minutes to blend flavors. Off heat, place apricot halves cut-side down in a single layer in the pan, cover pan, and leave to poach until apricots are very tender but still able to hold their shape, about 20 minutes.
Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer apricots to a shallow dish and set aside. Turn burner to high, bring poaching liquid to a boil, and reduce to about 3/4 cup, about 8 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, remove seasonings, add cognac or brandy, if using, and cool syrup to room temperature. Pour syrup over the apricots and refrigerate until serving. Drizzle a portion of the syrup over the apricots as you serve them.
rising
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