Chilled Poached Apricots With Whipped Cream Recipes

BROILED APRICOTS WITH GINGER WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Heat broiler to high, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Squeeze juice from grated ginger into a large bowl (you should get about 1 teaspoon juice); discard pulp. Add cream and granulated sugar. Whip until soft peaks form; refrigerate.
• Place apricots, cut side up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Dividing evenly, top with brown sugar, butter, and cardamom. Broil until apricots just begin to char, 2 to 5 minutes. Top apricots with whipped cream, and serve immediately.

CHILLED POACHED APRICOTS WITH WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Bring wine, water, and sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add apricots, pushing down gently, so fruit is submerged. Reduce heat to medium, and let simmer just until apricots are tender, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on ripeness and size of fruit.
• Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer apricots to a dish. Pour in enough poaching liquid to cover fruit (about 1 cup), and cover with parchment. Let remaining liquid simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half and lightly syrupy, about 10 minutes; strain. Refrigerate apricots and syrup separately, for 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, beat cream until soft peaks form. Gently whisk in 1/4 cup cooled syrup, and season with cardamom if desired. Divide apricots among 8 dessert bowls, and drizzle with syrup. Top each with a large dollop of whipped cream.

ALMOND PRALINE SEMIFREDDO WITH GRAPPA-POACHED APRICOTS

Steps:

• For semifreddo:
• Line a lightly oiled 8 1/2-by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Lightly oil a baking sheet.
• Cook 1/3 cup sugar in a dry small heavy skillet over medium heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until a deep golden caramel.
• Stir in almonds to coat and scrape onto baking sheet. Cool, then break into pieces. Pulse in a food processor until praline is finely ground (do not grind to a paste).
• Beat eggs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar with a pinch of salt in a 2-quart metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water using a handheld electric mixer at high speed until tripled in volume and very thick, about 8 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until mixture is cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes. Stir in extract.
• With cleaned beaters, beat cream until it just holds stiff peaks. Fold about one third of whipped cream into egg mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining cream and all but 1 tablespoon praline gently but thoroughly (reserve 1 tablespoon praline for garnish). Spoon into loaf pan and freeze, covered, until firm, at least 6 hours.
• Poach apricots:
• Bring water, sugar, and zest to a simmer in a 12-inch heavy skillet, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Simmer 5 minutes. Add grappa and return to a simmer. Toss apricots with lemon juice, then put, cut sides down, in grappa syrup and simmer 5 minutes. Turn apricots over and simmer until just tender, 1 to 3 minutes more.
• Transfer apricots with a slotted spoon to a 13-by 9-inch dish, arranging them in 1 layer. Boil syrup in skillet until reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 3 minutes, and pour over apricots. Cool to room temperature.
• Uncover semifreddo and invert onto a chilled platter, using plastic wrap to help pull it from mold. Sprinkle reserved praline on top. Slice semifreddo crosswise and serve with apricots and syrup.

POACHED PEARS WITH SAFFRON WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Poached Pears: Core pears from bottoms, using a small melon baller or measuring spoon to scoop out seeds. Cut a round of parchment to fit inside a medium saucepan.
• Place pears in pan along with wine, sugar, orange juice and zest, cinnamon, saffron, and enough water to mostly cover pears (about 3 cups). Add vanilla seeds, then pod. Cover with prepared parchment round.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, turning pears occasionally to keep them covered with liquid, until tender (easily pierced with the tip of a knife) but not falling apart, 12 to 15 minutes, depending on ripeness and size. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a large bowl; cover with parchment round from pan.
• Remove and discard vanilla pod and cinnamon. Bring poaching liquid to a boil and cook until reduced to a thin syrup, 25 to 30 minutes (you should have 1 to 1 1/2 cups). Pour syrup over pears and refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.
• Saffron Whipped Cream: In a small saucepan, heat 1/4 cup cream and saffron over medium until just barely bubbling around edges. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl; add remaining 3/4 cup cream. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. Add sugar and beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
• Serve pears whole or halved in shallow bowls, with syrup and saffron whipped cream.

POACHED APRICOTS

Steps:

• Soak apricots in cold water for 1/2 hour or more.
• Transfer with soaking water to large pan.
• Add sugar, scrape seeds from vanilla beans.
• Add seeds and pod to the pan.
• Bring slowly to a simmer.
• Cook gently till very tender - about 40 minutes.
• Cool then strain.
• Place strained off juice into pot and reduce over heat by 1/3 or.
• till syrupy.
• Cool then serve apricots and juice with cream.

HONEY VANILLA POACHED APRICOTS

Steps:

• In a 1 1/2-quart saucepan simmer water, honey, sugar, and vanilla bean, covered, 5 minutes. Add apricots and simmer, covered, until just tender but not falling apart, 2 to 5 minutes, depending on ripeness of fruit.
• Transfer apricots with a slotted spoon to a bowl and boil syrup until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Pour syrup over apricots and chill 25 minutes.