For years at IBM our office manager's secretary baked some really awesome treats. Her apricot bars were my favorite. I had a hard time getting her recipe out of her so I came up with my own. These keep well about two weeks stored in an airtight container. But I insist you dust what you serve with a fresh dusting of powdered sugar. As they taught me in school "your eyes tell you something tastes good before your mouth does" and the appearance of these when freshly dusted is a sight to behold (see photo).
Mis en place:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 sticks butter
1 lb package dried apricots
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup oats
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 13x9 inch pan with a huge piece of aluminum foil so the foil extentds over all edges well. Push foil into corners of pan, now butter all inside edges of pan.
Place 1st group of ingredients into mixer and mix until you have pea sized lumps. Place mixture into bottom of lined baking pan and push down into corners. Bake at 350 about 25 minutes or until lightly brown.
Meanwhile place apricots in pan and JUST cover with water, cook over medium heat stirring until mixture comes to boil, simmer 4 additional minutes all the while stirring so apricots in bottom of pan do not burn. Using mixer add the 4 eggs and whip with paddle attachment, then add brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until stiff. Stir in flour, salt and oats mix well about 40 seconds, then add pecans and then fold in now smooth apricots. Mix about 1 minute.
Spread this mixture over the shortbread you just baked, plop back in 350 degree oven about 35 minutesw until it is a darker brown. Remove and allow to cool about 20 minutes. Now lift out of the pan using the excess foil edges to assist removal. Dust very liberally with powdered sugar and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares...
TO KILL FOR[/COLOR]
Mis en place:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup oats
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
2 sticks butter
1 lb package dried apricots
1 Tsp baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
4 eggs
2 cups brown sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup oats
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 13x9 inch pan with a huge piece of aluminum foil so the foil extentds over all edges well. Push foil into corners of pan, now butter all inside edges of pan.
Place 1st group of ingredients into mixer and mix until you have pea sized lumps. Place mixture into bottom of lined baking pan and push down into corners. Bake at 350 about 25 minutes or until lightly brown.
Meanwhile place apricots in pan and JUST cover with water, cook over medium heat stirring until mixture comes to boil, simmer 4 additional minutes all the while stirring so apricots in bottom of pan do not burn. Using mixer add the 4 eggs and whip with paddle attachment, then add brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat until stiff. Stir in flour, salt and oats mix well about 40 seconds, then add pecans and then fold in now smooth apricots. Mix about 1 minute.
Spread this mixture over the shortbread you just baked, plop back in 350 degree oven about 35 minutesw until it is a darker brown. Remove and allow to cool about 20 minutes. Now lift out of the pan using the excess foil edges to assist removal. Dust very liberally with powdered sugar and cut into 1 1/2 inch squares...
TO KILL FOR[/COLOR]
