Apricot Pistachio Squares Recipes

APRICOT PISTACHIO SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C and line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin.
• In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the chunks of butter and process until it forms large clumps - may a minute or so. Press the dough firmly and evenly into your baking tin with floured fingers. Bake for 15 minutes or until very pale golden.
• In your food processor (don't bother washing it out), grind the pistachios, flour, salt, and sugar to a powder (or as fine as you can make it!). Add the butter and process until no longer visible. Add egg and vanilla, blending until it forms a smooth paste.
• Spread the filling over the cooked base. To decorate like I have in the photos, cut the apricots into diagonal strips, then slide each half onto a knife and fan over the pistachio frangipane. Alternatively, you could put the halves straight on or cut the apricots into slices and decorate as you wish.
• Bake the slice for 50 minutes, or until they are golden and a skewer inserted into the pistachio comes out clean. Leave in pan to cool.
• Dust with icing sugar to decorate and cut into squares. I couldn't wait for them to cool and cut them while still warm - and they were amazing - but Deb recommends to rest them in the fridge to cool completely before cutting.
• Keep left over slice in the fridge.

WINNING APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk flour and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Fold in coconut and walnuts., Press two-thirds of dough onto the bottom of a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread with preserves; crumble remaining dough over preserves. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

PISTACHIO SQUARES

Steps:

• Mix first layer and press into 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Combine ingredients for second layer and spread on first layer.
• Mix pudding and milk; spread over second layer.
• Spread remaining Cool Whip over third layer.
• Sprinkle with chopped nuts.
• Place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

PISTACHIO-APRICOT RUGELACH

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; beat in the flour mixture until combined, about 1 minute. Turn out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, shape into a disk and wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Cut the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll out each piece of dough into a 6-by-12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface; square off the edges. Refrigerate the dough rectangles until firm, at least 20 minutes.
• Make the filling: Spread 3 tablespoons apricot preserves on each dough rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Toss the pistachios, dried apricots, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the preserves and press in gently.
• Starting with the jam-covered long side, roll up each dough rectangle into a tight log. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a separate baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush the logs with the beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Cut the logs into 1-inch-thick rounds. Arrange seam-side down on the prepared pan, about 1 inch apart.
• Bake the cookies until golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on the pan.

APRICOT AND PISTACHIO SLICE (BARS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C
• Combine flour the flour, mixed spice,diced apricots, pistachio kernals and the sugar in a large bowl. Add the margarine, eggs, lemon juice and vanilla essence and stir until well combined.
• Spoon the mixture into a greased and lined lamington tin and bake for 30 minutes at 180ºC or until golden brown.
• Whilst still warm, glaze the slice with melted apricot jam.