Hazelnut Apricot Windows Recipes

HAZELNUT-TOPPED APRICOT BAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter bottom of 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan. Combine nuts, 1 cup sugar and cinnamon in processor; blend until nuts are finely ground.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar, flour, butter, egg yolks, vanilla and salt in processor; blend just until combined. Spread dough over bottom of prepared pan. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.
• Spread preserves over crust. Beat whites in medium bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold in nut mixture. Spread nut meringue over preserves layer. Bake until meringue is firm to touch, about 25 minutes. Cool completely. Cut into squares.

HAZELNUT FRANGIPANE TART WITH APRICOTS

Steps:

• Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch round tart pan with removable bottom, about 1/4 inch thick. Patch, if necessary. Trim excess dough flush with rim. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line shell with parchment, and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are golden, about 20 minutes. Rotate shell, and remove parchment and weights. Bake until bottom is crisp and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325°F.
• Pulse 1/3 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Stir together ground hazelnuts, flour, and salt. With an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until pale and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes. Beat in egg. Add hazelnut mixture, and beat until just combined. Frangipane can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 week.
• Spoon frangipane into tart shell, and smooth with an offset spatula. Let stand 10 minutes. Bake until set, about 15 minutes. If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Peel apricots (see page 343); cut in half, and remove pits. Just before serving, beat cream with confectioners' sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form; whisk in crème fraîche. Spread over frangipane. Arrange 7 apricot halves, cut side down, around edge. Cut remaining apricot half into thirds and arrange in center.
• Heat jam in a saucepan over medium-low until loose. Stir in lemon juice, and let cool for 5 or 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve; discard solids. Brush strained jam over apricots, and spoon remaining glaze over cream. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons hazelnuts around apricots. Serve immediately.

APRICOT WINDOWS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly coat an 11 by 17-inch rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, and line bottom with parchment paper.
• Spoon jam into a bowl, and beat with a rubber spatula to smooth out texture; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Reduce speed to low, add reserved flour mixture, and beat until thoroughly combined. Remove 1 3/4 cups of the dough; use it to fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain round tip (such as Ateco #11). Fold the end over to keep dough from drying out.
• Using an offset spatula, spread the remaining dough into prepared pan as evenly and smoothly as possible. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
• Remove pan from oven, and transfer to a heatproof surface. Using an offset spatula, spread jam on top in an even layer. Using a prepared pastry bag, pipe parallel lines of dough spaced 1 inch apart over the jam. Pipe perpendicular lines of dough at 1-inch intervals over first lines. Place in oven and bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 1 1/2 by 3-inch bars or 3-inch squares. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.