Smoky Apricot Tarts Recipes

APRICOT TARTS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the butter, cream cheese and flour until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. , For filling, in a small saucepan, bring apricots and water to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Drain. Add the pecans, sugar, marmalade, cinnamon and cloves; set aside., Shape dough into 24 balls. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of greased miniature muffin cups. Spoon filling into cups. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until browned. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , For topping, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spoon a dollop onto each tart. Store in the refrigerator.

HOMEMADE APRICOT TARTS

Steps:

• Add chopped dried apricots and enough water to come 1 inch above apricots in a saucepan. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until thickened.
• Stir in sugar, butter, nutmeg (optional), cinnamon and orange juice. Cook a bit longer, until texture is like jam.
• Stir, cool and store in refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use.
• Add cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer.
• Using the beater blade, combine ingredients on medium-high speed until well blended. Add vanilla, if using, and mix until incorporated. Turn mixer off, add flour and mix on low speed just until combined and a ball of dough forms. The dough should be thick.
• Form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Form dough into walnut size balls and place into a mini muffin or tart pan. Using a tart tamper dusted with flour, press down on each ball to form the tart shape.
• Fill each tart with a rounded teaspoon of filling (homemade or store-bought apricot jam). Bake for 10 minutes or until very lightly golden. Remove pan from oven and cool completely on wire racks.
• When completely cooled sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container or freeze in freezer containers until ready to serve. Allow tarts to come to room temperature before serving for best texture.

SMOKY APRICOT TARTS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the preserves, pie spice and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Spoon into tart shells; arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Sprinkle with cheese and remaining brown sugar., Bake at 350° for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve warm.

SMOKY APRICOT HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine water, vinegar, jalapenos, garlic, paprika, and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Transfer mixture to a blender and add apricot preserves; puree until smooth.
• Allow pepper mixture to cool; pour into a glass jar with a lid. Store in the refrigerator.

ROASTED APRICOT TART

Steps:

• For the tart crust, roll the dough to a rough 12-inch disk and transfer it to the cookie sheet. Pierce the dough all over with a fork and place a plate or pattern on to and cut it to a perfect 11-inch circle. Butter the bottom of one of the cake pans and center it on the disk of dough. Chill one hour.
• While the dough is chilling, cook the apricots. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and set a rack in the middle level. Thickly butter the other pan and sprinkle it with the brown sugar. Arrange the apricot halves, skin side down in the pan, alternating a dried apricot with every two fresh apricot halves. Sprinkle with the remaining butter and then the lemon juice. Bake the apricots about 40 minutes, until they are well cooked through. Cool on a rack.
• To bake the tart crust, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and place the cookie sheet and dough, still covered by the cake pan into the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the cake pan. Continue baking about 15 to 20 minutes more, until deep golden and crisp, piercing the dough with a fork if it bubbles up. Cool the crust in the pan on a rack.
• To assemble the tart, reheat the apricots for a few seconds over low heat to make sure they are not stuck to the pan. Invert the tart crust to a cardboard and slide the crust over the top of the pan the apricots are in. Cover the crust with the cardboard or a platter and invert the apricots onto the crust. Remove the pan and rearrange the apricots if necessary. Serve tepid with some whipped cream.

APRICOT TART

Steps:

• Cut apricots in half and remove pits. Place 5 apricot halves on each disk. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Melt glaze and brush over tarts. Sprinkle almonds around the edges of the tarts.