Apricot Caramel Sauce Recipes

APRICOT BREAD PUDDING WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Simmer Grand Marnier and 1/4 cup water in heavy medium saucepan 5 minutes. Cool mixture completely. Whisk Grand Marnier-water mixture, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla and nutmeg in large bowl to blend. Place croissant pieces in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish; add apricots and toss to combine. Pour custard over croissant-apricot mixture, pressing down gently with rubber spatula so that croissant and apricot pieces are evenly covered. Let stand 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover baking dish with aluminum foil. Place dish in larger roasting pan. Add enough hot water to roasting pan to come 1 inch up sides of baking dish. Bake 1 hour.
• Remove aluminum foil and continue baking until bread pudding is golden brown on top and firm to touch, about 30 minutes longer. Carefully remove bread pudding from oven and from water bath; cool slightly. Drizzle bread pudding with Caramel Sauce, if desired, and serve warm.

APRICOTS IN CARAMEL COGNAC SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook sugar in a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar is melted into a deep golden caramel, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully add water, then add Cognac and lemon juice (caramel will harden and steam vigorously) and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until caramel is dissolved. Stir in apricots and simmer, stirring occasionally, until apricots are tender but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

PAN-ROASTED PORK CHOPS WITH APRICOT-CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In 10-inch skillet (preferably nonstick), mix sugar and water with wooden spoon. Heat over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, without stirring, until sugar turns dark golden brown and just begins to smoke (do not allow to burn). Remove from heat.
• Add apple, onion, garlic and cinnamon to skillet and stir to coat (sugar may clump and harden at first but will melt again when heated). Return to heat and cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until some liquid escapes from mixture.
• Remove from heat and add vinegar (avert your head; the fumes from the vinegar can take your breath away). Stir and return to heat. Slowly stir in apple cider and broth (sugar may clump-that is okay, it will melt). When all liquids have been added, add bay leaves and thyme.
• Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer uncovered 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 375°F. In 10-inch ovenproof skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp and brown. Remove bacon from skillet; drain on paper towels, crumble and set aside. There should be about 1 tablespoon bacon drippings remaining in pan. If there is more, pour off excess; if there is less, add a little vegetable oil.
• Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Place pork in bacon drippings in skillet and cook 4 minutes or until brown. Flip and brown on other side, about 4 minutes longer. Cover skillet with lid or foil and place in oven. Roast 8 minutes or until slightly firm when touched and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 155°F (pork will continue to cook to 160°F when removed from oven). Remove pork from skillet and place on plate. Cover tightly with foil; set aside.
• The skillet used to cook the pork should have some cooking liquid in it. Place this skillet over medium heat. Pour the reduced sauce into skillet and stir to combine. Stir in apricot preserves and heat sauce to boiling. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened. Remove skillet from heat. Beat in butter, 1 piece at a time, with wire whisk, adding the next piece only after the first has been completely beaten in and melted. When all of the butter has been beaten in, taste sauce and season with salt and pepper if desired. Remove and discard bay leaves and thyme sprig.
• Place pork on warm serving plates and top with sauce. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon and the parsley.

APRICOT-FIG TRIFLE WITH CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the pudding, combine the cornstarch, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan and slowly stir in just enough milk to make a thick paste. Gradually stir in the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until thick, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Pour into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
• Place the apricots and figs in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 20 minutes; drain.
• Meanwhile, to make the caramel sauce, combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Use a pastry brush dipped in water to wash down any sugar crystals on the side of the pan. Cook over medium-low heat, without stirring, until the sugar is melted and turns a light amber color. Remove the caramel from the heat and carefully stir in the cream. Return to the heat and stir until the caramel is dissolved.
• To assemble, place 4 slices of pound cake in the bottom of an 8-inch square glass baking dish. Brush the cake with 1 tablespoon of rum and drizzle with 1/3 of the sauce. Scatter half of the fruit over the cake. Spread with half of the pudding. Make another layer with the remaining cake, rum, 1/3 of the sauce and the remaining fruit and pudding.
• Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the top and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours. Cut the trifle into 8 squares and serve.

APRICOT CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• In a dry heavy saucepan (about 3-quart capacity) cook sugar over moderate heat, stirring with a fork until melted and then swirling pan, until sugar is a golden caramel. Remove pan from heat and carefully add 3 cups water down side of pan (it will bubble up and steam). Return pan to heat and simmer, stirring, until caramel is dissolved.
• Add apricots and simmer, covered, until soft, about 10 minutes. Cool mixture 10 minutes and in a blender purée with remaining 1 cup water and vanilla until very smooth. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat sauce to warm.