Pate Abricot

Servings: 4 cookie cutter (3 inch) shapes

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 pound fresh (10-12) apricots

 

 

Chef’s Note: If fresh apricots are out of season, substitute 15 ounces of canned or tinned apricots in syrup. Omit water.

 

 

3 cups water

 

12 dried without sulphur apricots 

 

1 ½ cup apricot preserves

 

½ teaspoon lemon juice

 

½ cup Turbinado sugar

 

2 tablespoons unflavored, powdered gelatin

 

6 tablespoons cold water

 

¼ cup Turbinado sugar

 

1 cup dark or milk chocolate (as per the preference of the patron)

 

 

 

Directions:

 

Line an 8”x 8”x 2”dish. Line the dish with a sheet of wax paper that extends up to the top of the dish.

 

 

If using fresh fruit:

 

Place apricot slices and water in saucepan.

 

Bring to a boil. Turn down heat to medium and simmer for 8 minutes. Test apricots to be certain they are cooked.

 

Strain, reserving liquid (there should be approximately ¾ cup).

 

Place apricots in a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.

 

 

If using canned or tinned fruit:

 

Drain apricots, reserving ¾ cup syrup.

 

 

 

Place the reserved ¾ cup apricot syrup in a thick-bottomed saucepan.

 

Add the dried apricots to the saucepan. Bring contents to a boil.

 

Reduce heat and simmer until the dried apricots are tender and most of the syrup has been absorbed or evaporated. Do not allow the apricots to go dry or burn.

 

Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

 

Puree cooked dried apricots, reserved apricots and sugar until smooth.

 

Transfer the apricot puree back to the thick-bottomed saucepan.  Add apricot preserves.

 

Bring to a simmer. Continue to cook, stirring constantly until the puree is thick.

 

Place 6 tablespoons cold water in a separate saucepan.

 

Sprinks gelatin over water. Stir.

 

Leave gelatin in water until it softens.

 

Place saucepan over low heat and stir until gelatin is completely dissolved and all of the water has been absorbed.

 

Add gelatin to puree. Stir thoroughly.

 

Pour puree evenly over waxed paper in prepared dish. Smooth the top.

 

Allow puree to cool to room temperature.

 

Place waxed paper over top, press down gently and refrigerate for a minimum of 8 hours or overnight.

 

To unmold the pate, spread ¼ cup sugar over a 12”x 15”piece of parchment paper on a flat surface.

 

Just before serving, unmold the apricot pâte onto a flat work surface.

 

 

Chef’s Note: This pate is softer than the more candied form of fruit pate.  Care should be taken when cutting and moving the cut feature to the plate.

 

 

Carefully peel off and discard the wax paper on top of the pate.

 

Use caution in turning the dish over onto the sugared parchment paper.

 

Carefully peel off and discard the wax paper that was on the bottom of the pate.

 

Using cookie cutters, cut the pâte into shapes.

 

Use a spatula to move the pate shapes from the parchment paper onto the serving dishes.

 

Heat chocolate in the top of a double boiler.

 

When the chocolate melts, drizzle it over the pate.

 

Serve.

 

 

Chef’s note: The pâte can be prepared through chilling and kept chilled overnight.  It must be kept covered until plated.