Apricot Lemon Bars with Hazelnut Crust

Sometimes a few words explain it all. This time, I'm telling my tale with a limerick. Suffice it to say, the addition of apricot to a timeless classic dessert deserves a round of applause.

Apricot Lemon Bar Limerick
by Happy Go Marni

There once was a famous treat:
The lemon bar you thought couldn't be beat.
Then apricot was added
And my tushy was padded
From eating the whole cookie sheet!


Apricot Lemon Bars with Hazelnut Crust
Adapted from a recipe by Alice Medrich in Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies
Makes 16 large (2-inch) bars or 25 smaller bars

Note: Feel free to swap out the hazelnuts in the crust with walnuts, toasted almonds, or another nut.

For the crust:
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup (1.25 ounces) toasted and skinned hazelnuts
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the topping:
1/4 cup (1.75 ounces) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (5.5 ounces) apricot preserves
1/3 cup strained fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square metal baking pan with foil.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.

To make the crust:
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and nuts. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Add the melted butter and the vanilla and pulse just until the dry ingredients are moistened and the mixture begins to form a ball. Remove the dough and knead it on your work surface for about 30 seconds, until the mixture is well combined.

Pour the dough into the bottom of the pan and press it evenly with the back of a spoon or your fingers so that it is even thickness across the bottom. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden in the center, well browned on the edges, and no part looks undercooked.

To make the topping:
While the crust is baking, it's the perfect time to prepare the fruit layer! In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and flour until well combined. Add the eggs and whisk to combine. Stir in the preserves and if you see any large chunks of fruit, break them up. Stir in the lemon juice. When the crust is done, turn the oven down to 300 degrees F. Take the crust out of the oven and pour the filling over the hot crust. Return to the oven.

Bake for 20 to 25 more minutes. You'll know it's done if you tap the pan and the fruit layer does not jiggle like jello; it should be firm. Cool completely on a wire rack in the pan.

When you're ready to serve the bars, lift up the foil that lined the pan and transfer it to a cutting board. Cut the bars with a long sharp knife into squares. If you want, sift powdered sugar over the bars (but don't do this ahead of time; do it just before you serve the bars - or buy non-melting powdered sugar from King Arthur Flour). Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and nuts in a food processor...

Pulse till the nuts are finely ground...

Add the butter and vanilla...

Mix until the ingredients are moistened and begin to form a ball...

Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan...

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the crust is golden...

To make the apricot lemon layer, first combine the sugar and flour...
Whisk in the eggs...
Stir in the apricot preserves and break up any large chunks...
Stir in the lemon juice...
Pour the mixture over the hot crust...

Return to the oven and bake at 300 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes...

To cut the cooled bars, lift the foil lining out of the pan and place on a cutting board. Dust with powdered sugar if desired...

Cut into squares and enjoy!

Choco-Mallow Candy

Not fudge, but almost. Not ganache, but almost. Candy! This is an amazing and very easy-to-make chocolate marshmallow candy that looks beautiful when cut into pieces and tastes really rich and chocolaty. Makes a great gift and stays fresh for several days. You must try this!!


Since I was giving these as Christmas gifts, I used the seasonal Jet-Puffed Marshmallows that come in red and green. The resulting candies turned out really festive and pretty! But make this year round and use plain white marshmallows. Because the truth is, there's nothing seasonal about chocolate and marshmallow. It's an every-day-of-the-year food combination!


Choco-Mallow Candy
Adapted from a recipe on the King Arthur Flour website

2 2/3 cups chopped dark chocolate or chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy or whipping cream
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
13 marshmallows, halved around the circumference
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Prepare an 8x8-inch square baking pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper and then greasing the parchment and sides. You can also use a 9x9-inch round cake pan but then some of your candies will be bizarre shaped. This candy is never baked, so you can even use plastic wrap instead of parchment paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate, cream, espresso powder (if using), corn syrup, and vanilla. You can do this on the stove in a saucepan instead of the microwave using low heat. Be careful not to burn the chocolate. The cream should be hot and the chocolate will be softened but not completely melted yet. Remove from the heat and continue stirring until the chocolate is completely melted.

Measure out 3/4 cup of the melted chocolate mixture and spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan.

Evenly distribute the marshmallow halves on top of the chocolate in the pan. Then scatter the walnuts evenly in the crevices between the marshmallows.

Pour the rest of the chocolate on top and use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread evenly so that all marshmallows and walnuts are covered. Be sure you get the chocolate to the edges of the pan.

Cover the pan and place in the refrigerator for about an hour, until the chocolate is set. Then use a knife to loosen the candy from the edges of the pan.

Bring the candy to room temperature before cutting into pieces.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Melt the chocolate with the cream, espresso powder, corn syrup, and vanilla...

Stir until smooth...

Spread 3/4 cup of the chocolate in the bottom of the prepared pan...

Evenly distribute the marshmallows on top of the chocolate...

Scatter the walnuts in between the marshmallows...

Cover with the remaining chocolate...

Chill for an hour to set the chocolate...

Then bring to room temperature before cutting into pieces...

Enjoy!

White, Red, and Green Italian Braid Featuring a Pesto, Cheese, Antipasto-Like Filling

This bread got so many ooohs and ahhhs when I served it that I wanted to collect them in a jar and use them as currency somewhere! Hmm, now what country accepts VISA, Mastercard, and Ooohs and Ahhhs???


The most amazing thing about this bread is how fun and easy it is to make. In fact, I made one with poppy seeds on top, and then immediately started working on a second loaf that I'd top with sesame seeds. Believe it or not, you prepare the dough in a food processor! Everything from mixing to kneading happens there, so it comes together really fast. This is the kind of bread you could personalize, customize, redesign with ingredients you have in your pantry. If you don't regularly stock olives and sun-dried tomatoes, try artichoke hearts or skip those ingredients completely. I was even thinking it would be fun to use this dough with a pizza filling, so instead of pesto, spread pizza sauce on the bottom, then layer with cheese and pizza toppings.


And once you learn the braid technique, you'll want to use it on all sorts of other bread recipes. It's more like a mock braid because you don't lift up strands and actually braid them; you simply slice the edges of the dough lengthwise on each side of the filling and fold the flaps over to cover the filling. The result is gorgeous. I'm going to have to say it is one of my favorite things I've ever made in my entire life. Trust me; that is a VERY strong statement. Enjoy!


White, Red, and Green Italian Braid
Adapted from a recipe by Marlene Sorosky (one of my heroes) in Entertaining on the Run
Makes 1 loaf.

Dough:
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 package quick-rising yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg, at room temperature
2/3 cup very warm water (125 to 130 degrees F)

Filling:
1/4 cup basil pesto sauce, store-bought or homemade
1/4 cup sliced pitted Mediterranean olives, such as nicoise
1 cup shredded regular or low-fat mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
1/4 cup crumbled goat or blue cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers, blotted dry
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes dehydrated and chopped

1 egg, mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for glaze
1 teaspoon sesame or poppy seeds (optional)

Fill a large shallow pan or roaster half full of water and bring to a boil (or pour boiling water in the pan). This will be used for rising. Set aside.

To make dough:
In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Pulse for a few seconds to combine. Add the oil and egg and process until well combined. Turn the motor on again and use the pouring spout on the lid of the food processor while you slowly drizzle the water into the dry ingredients. Don't add too much water. It's possible you won't need the full amount called for, so to be on the safe side, check the dough before you add the last 2 tablespoons of water. You'll know the dough has enough water when it pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball. If it doesn’t form a ball yet, add a very tiny bit of the reserved water until a ball is formed. To knead the dough, simply process for 60 seconds. So easy! Let the dough rest in the bowl, covered with a towel, for at least 10 minutes. Meanwhile, use this time to prepare the filling ingredients. I like to have all of the toppings chopped and measured out and placed in little ramekins so I'm ready to go for assembly.

To assemble:
Measure a piece of parchment paper that will fight onto your baking sheet. Place this parchment paper on your dough board and lightly flour it. Roll the dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle. Use a ruler to mark where the center third of the rectangle is. Lightly press the ruler or a dough scraper down into the dough to mark the area. Spread pesto lengthwise down this center third of dough. Sprinkle with olives, cheeses, red peppers, and tomatoes. You can add these ingredients in any order. I put the cheese on last.

Using a ruler, make cuts at 1-inch intervals from filling to edges of dough. Since it's a 14-inch long rectangle, that means 14 strips of dough on each side. At this point, transfer the parchment paper with the dough on it very carefully to the baking sheet. Alternating the sides, fold strips at an angle across the filling. I used a bit of the oil from the pesto to wet the end of each strip so it would stick to the other side. That's really not necessary; I was just paranoid. Cover the braid with a towel. Prepare the oven for baking by placing the rack in upper third of oven. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To rise: Remember the pan of boiling water you prepared at the beginning? Place baking sheet with bread over pan. Let rise 15 minutes in this warm position. It will begin to swell like a pizza crust.

To bake: Brush the egg glaze over loaf and sprinkle with seeds, if desired. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden. Tap the bottom of the loaf with your finger to listen for a hollow sound; it's done when it sounds hollow. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. You can make this the day before and keep the loaf in the fridge overnight. Just reheat at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes before serving and it will be as good as new!


Step-by-Step in Pictures
In a food processor, mix flour, yeast, sugar, and salt...

Add the oil and egg and process...

Add the water until the dough forms a ball, then knead for 60 seconds by processing. Cover with a towel and let rest for 10 minutes...

Roll out the dough into a 14x10-inch rectangle...

Spread the pesto on the center third of the dough lengthwise...

In any order, add the filling ingredients...

I top with the cheese but feel free to put the cheese on first, then the veggies...

Cut strips at 1-inch intervals on each side of the rectangle (but don't cut through the center third with the filling!)...

Alternating sides, criss-cross the dough strips until you've completed the mock braid...

If you want, you can seal the end of each dough strip to the inside of the other side with a little water or oil...

Here's what the braided loaf will look like! Cover with a towel and place the baking sheet over a pot that's filled with boiling water for 15 minutes to allow to rise...

Once risen, brush the egg glaze on top and sprinkle with poppy seeds...

Or sesame seeds...

Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until golden and sounds hollow on the bottom when tapped...
Yum! It's done! Let cool 10 minutes...

Slice and serve! I prefer it warm, but you can also serve it at room temperature...

File This Under Neato: King Arthur Flour Has a Baking Hotline

King Arthur Flour, one of my favorite stores and catalogs on Earth and a dream for pretty much any baker, has a Baking Hotline! What! No way. Yes way!

Can't figure out why your bread isn't rising? Wondering why the edges of your brownies get crisp while the middle is still raw? Not sure of a substitute for whole wheat pastry flour? Is your buttercream lumpy? Unable to keep your homemade caramel from burning? Bundt cake stuck in the pan? I can think of a million baking questions that either I've asked at some point, or someone has asked me. No question is dumb. There was a first time for every piece of knowledge I now have about baking. I've read a lot of books, talked to my mom, watched cooking shows on TV, and still, I have more and more questions that come up as I try new things or experience little "emergencies" in the kitchen.

So how cool is it that King Arthur Flour has a Baking Hotline! There are two ways to reach a King Arthur Flour baking expert:

CALL (802) 649-3717
or
EMAIL bakers@kingarthurflour.com

Their website says they will respond to you within 24 hours and often sooner. Amazing! I am so excited by this I am beside myself. I feel like I just pulled the sword from the stone. OK, sorry, had to go there. I love you, King Arthur Flour!