Roast Apricot & Orange Blossom Fool (Serves 8)
This is a fantastic recipe for making the most of apricots which are plentiful at this time of the year. The flavours are perfectly balanced; the sweetness of roasted apricots is delicately cut by whipped cream which is combined with a little Greek yogurt, orange flower water and honey. I have taken the recipe from Diana Henry’s cookbook ‘Simple’, and yes it is simple but very impressive! (Any leftovers make a great, indulgent breakfast!!)
900g apricots, halved and pitted
75ml white wine or water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
115g granulated sugar
300ml double cream
4 tablespoons Greek yogurt
5 tablespoons orange blossom honey, or to taste, plus more to serve
3 teaspoons orange flower water, or to taste
Toasted almond flakes, to serve
- Put the apricots in a gratin dish, cut sides up, so that they lay in a single layer. Mix the wine or water with the vanilla, then pour it over the apricots. Sprinkle evenly with the sugar and roast in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for 30-45 minutes until completely soft. Leave until cold.
- Remove eight of the best looking apricot halves to put on top of each serving. Puree the rest of the fruit and any of its juice in a food processor.
- Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks, then stir in the yogurt, honey and orange flower water.
- Fold the purée through the cream, don’t over mix – you want it to be marbled with the bright orange colour. (You can add more flower water to taste).
- Spoon into bowls, top each with an apricot half, if you want a little more sweetness drizzle with extra honey, then sprinkle with the toasted almonds.
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