Apricot Almond Jammie Dodgers

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Apricot Almond Jammie Dodgers

If you are looking for a perfect cookie to enjoy with a calming cup of tea, this may be the best choice yet. I've added finely ground almonds and almond extract to the buttery cookie dough from our original version of Homemade Jammie Dodgers to add an extra flavor dimension to these delicious cookies. Regular readers of Rock Recipes will undoubtedly know that I have a particular fondness for all things apricot and the almond flavor of these cookies is particularly delicious with apricot jam. Truthfully though, you could substitute any favorite high quality or homemade jam in this recipe; raspberry, blackberry and plum are excellent choices.

Using Christmas cookie cutters is an easy way to add a festive touch to these cookies for the Holidays.

Apricot Almond Jammie Dodgers

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

A tasty twist on a homemade version of the United Kingdom's favorite cookie. Ground almonds in the cookie dough pair perfectly with the sweet apricot jam but if apricot's not your favorite flavor, any good quality jam can be substituted.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Yield: 12-14 large 3 inch cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup finely ground almonds
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp cold butter, cut in cubes
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 3 large egg yolks
• 12-14 rounded tsp homemade or good quality apricot jam

Directions

1. Sift together the flour, icing sugar, salt and ground almonds. Set aside.
2. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until it is well incorporated and the mixture becomes crumbly, like a coarse meal.
3. Whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla and almond extracts.
4. Add to the crumbly dry mixture and mix in until a soft dough forms.
5. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least a half hour. Roll the dough out between two pieces of lightly floured parchment paper to about 1/8 of an inch thick.
6. Cut out cookies using a 3 inch cutter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
7. Cut circles or hearts or whatever shape you like out of the centers of half of the cookies.
8. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 - 20 minutes, just until they start to brown slightly at the bottom edges but are still very pale.
9. Remove from the oven and spoon 1 rounded teaspoon of apricot jam (or your favorite jam) onto the middle of the bottom halves of the cookies and spread out only slightly to about 3/4 of an inch from the edge of the cookie. Carefully lay the top halves of the cookies onto the jam and press down lightly.
10. Return to the oven for an additional 5 to 6 minutes. This will heat up the jam to a point where it will stick the two cookie halves together.
11. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Store in airtight containers.

Apricot Coconut Meringue Bars

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Apricot Coconut Meringue Bars

This is my new favorite version of one of the oldest cookie bar recipes in my family. It's no secret that apricot is my favorite type of jam and a quick homemade version is what I used in this recipe which I've also made on different occasions with raspberry, strawberry and cranberry jams.

I've updated the recipe recently to partially pre-bake the base, which, depending on the water content of the jam you are using could get soggy. This step worked really well in preventing that from happening.

I like to make homemade apricot jam for this recipe from dried apricots, so I've included instructions for enough jam to make this recipe but if you like, double the recipe and save a jar for your morning toast or to serve on fresh baked biscuits at a weekend brunch. Yum!

Apricot Coconut Meringue Squares

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Apricot Coconut Meringue Squares - a soft cookie base, covered with sweet apricot jam and a layer of coconut meringue. Delicious with practically any favorite jam of your choice.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 25 cookie squares

Ingredients

• FOR THE BASE
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue top)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups homemade or good quality apricot jam
• FOR THE TOP LAYER
• 2 egg whites
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup fine unsweetened dried (desicated) coconut
• TO MAKE APRICOT JAM
• 2 cups chopped dried apricots
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper.
2. FOR THE BASE, cream together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla extract.
4. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold into the creamed mixture.
5. Spread evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 25 -30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes.
6. Spread the jam over the surface of the base.
7. Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.
8. Gradually beat in the brown sugar.
9. Fold in the dried coconut.
10. Spread carefully over the surface of the jam layer. Return to the oven for about 20-25 minutes.
11. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares or bars. Store in airtight containers. Freezes well.
12. If you are making homemade jam, cover the chopped apricots with the boiling water and add the sugar and lemon juice.
13. Bring to a slow simmer for about 15-20 minutes.
14. Using a potato masher mash the apricots and continue to simmer into a jam consistency where the jam is quite thick and all the visible liquid has boiled off. Cool to at least warm before using in the cookie square recipe.

Apricot Orange Cheesecake Bars

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Apricot Orange Cheesecake Bars

Here's the latest in my flavor experiments with one of my favorite freezer-friendly cookie bar recipes. Apricot and orange is a great flavor combination and go deliciously hand in hand in these buttery cheesecake squares.

Apricot Orange Cheesecake Bars

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Apricot Orange Cheesecake Bars - a freezer friendly recipe with the delicious combination of dried apricots in a citrus flavored cheesecake surrounded by buttery shortbread crumble.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Total time: About 1 hour
Yield: 24 cookie bars
Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp cold butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• FOR THE CHEESECAKE FILLING
• 1 cup (8 ounces) cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp grated orange zest, finely minced 
• 3/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Directions

1. In a food processor pulse together the flour, vanilla, sugar and butter until crumbly (or simply cut the butter through the flour and sugar with a pastry knife or two butter knives held between your fingers)
2. Save a 1/2 cup of this crumble mixture to sprinkle over the top later.
3. Press the rest of the crumble mixture into the bottom of a greased or parchment lined 9x9 inch square baking pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes while preparing the cheesecake filling.
5. Beat together the cream cheese, white sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract until smooth.
6. Beat in the egg and orange zest.
7. Fold in the chopped apricots.
8. Spread the cheesecake mixture evenly onto the pre-baked cookie base and sprinkle the reserved cookie crumble over the surface.
9. Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving.
10. Refrigerate in airtight containers. Freezes well too.

Apricot Coconut Crumble Bars

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Apricot Coconut Crumble Bars

I love all kinds of crumble bar cookies and there are many others to be found here on Rock Recipes but with apricot, my favorite fruit filling being the star of the show, this one has to be at the top of my favorites list. This versatile recipe can use practically any fruit jam or compote for the filling and as an added bonus freezes very well too; just get them into the freezer immediately after they cool completely to preserve freshness and prevent the inevitable overindulgence that will follow. ;)

Apricot Coconut Crumble Bars

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

Apricot Coconut Crumble Bars - a buttery coconut crumble bar with a delicious apricot compote filling. Freezes quite well too.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: About 36 bar cookies
Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 cups dried coconut, medium cut
• pinch salt
• 1 cup butter, cut in small pieces
• FOR THE APRICOT FILLING
• 3 cups dried apricots, chopped fine
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water

Directions

1. For the crumble sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, coconut and salt.
2. Using your hands or a pastry blender cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the it is completely incorporated and the mixture resembles a coarse crumbly meal.
3. Press half of the crumb mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch well greased baking pan. Pour the apricot filling evenly over the bottom crumbs. Gently sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the apricot filling and press down gently.
4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 40 – 45 minutes or until light golden brown in color. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares and serving.
5. TO MAKE THE APRICOT FILLING simmer the chopped apricots sugar and water until the apricots are softened and the mixture comes to a jam-like consistency. Alternatively, you can use a good quality apricot jam. You will need about 2 1/2 cups.

Easy Summer Fruit Cookie Tarts

Easy Summer Fruit Cookie Tarts

Sometimes the simplest  of experiments yield amazing results.  That couldn't be more true than with these beautiful little summer fruit tarts. There was some leftover cookie dough in the fridge that had been there for a couple of days and I honestly thought of tossing it in the trash but as everybody knows, I hate to throw out anything. There is also an abundance of fruit in the house at the moment, we always seem to overbuy but then again, it rarely gets tossed out; we always seem to find some way to use it. 

I broke out some of my individual fluted tart pans, pressed the cookie dough into them without even rolling it out, added some sliced strawberries, sliced black velvet apricots, and a handful of frozen blueberries from the freezer , sprinkled a little sugar on top of the fruit and tossed them into the oven. I didn't expect much to be honest, thinking the juicy fruit might drown the cookie dough completely and I'd be left with a soggy mess that would still end up in the garbage bin. Still, nothing ventured, nothing gained and the trash bin was the cookie dough's initial destination anyway, so no big deal anyway, I thought.

Easy Summer Fruit Cookie Tarts

Wow! These little tarts are amazing. I only made three and everyone in the house insisted on sampling each one! They were all absolutely delicious! This particular cookie dough held up perfectly, providing a crispy edged buttery vanilla pastry that didn't crumble into a million pieces but wasn't too soft to hold its own shape either. They were perfect!

I'm already thinking of new fruits to try in them and thinking about a full sized peach tart as an experiment when the Niagara peaches arrive. This turned out to be one of my favorite new recipes this summer and a lesson that a little kitchen experimentation can be a wonderful thing.

Cookie Dough Crust

Sift together:

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cream together until light and fluffy:

• 1 cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar

Add and beat well:

• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fold in the dry ingredients until crumbly, then press the dough into a ball , wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for a half hour. Press the cookie dough into tart pans about a 1/4 inch thick on the bottom and sides.

Add any sliced fruit or berries into the pastry shell and sprinkle each one with 1/2 tsp sugar. You can probably omit the sugar if you'd rather just have the natural sweetness of the fruit. Some fruit and berry suggestions include:

• blueberries
• strawberries
• peaches
• plums
• nectarines
• blackberries 
• raspberries

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F until evenly dark golden brown at the edges. You want some good dark color to the cookie crust to make sure they are fully baked. Cool on a wire rack to almost room temperature before removing from the pans to cool completely. These would also be excellent served warm with a scoop of good vanilla bean ice-cream.