Apricot Parfaits Recipes

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring 1/4 cup honey, water, and salt to a simmer over medium; stir until honey dissolves, 1 minute. Add apricots. Raise heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring often, until fruit is soft and liquid is syrupy, 10 to 12 minutes (adjust heat, if necessary, to keep at a constant simmer). Divide compote among 7 small glass jars or airtight containers. Refrigerate, uncovered, until cool, 10 minutes. Stir 1 tablespoon honey into each of the containers of yogurt; divide yogurt among jars. Serve with toasted sliced almonds if desired.

Steps:

• Beat the cream in a chilled bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in the sugar and set aside. In another bowl, whip the mascarpone cheese with an electric mixer until very soft; beat in the apricot nectar, vanilla extract, and cardamom. Gently fold the mascarpone mixture into the whipped cream.
• Place the apricot preserves and honey into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave oven until warm but not hot, about 30 seconds. Mix well and stir the balsamic vinegar into the honey mixture.
• Stuff each apricot half with a dollop of the mascarpone cream and place the filled apricot halves on a serving dish. Drizzle the fruit and plate with balsamic sauce and serve.

Steps:

• Peel 4 pears (2 pounds) and coarsely chop (including cores), then transfer to a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Add apricots, ginger, water, 2 tablespoons sugar, zest, cinnamon stick, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and simmer, covered, until pears are very tender, about 20 minutes. Discard cinnamon stick and force mixture through food mill into a bowl. If desired, stir in up to 1 tablespoon additional sugar and cool sauce.
• While sauce is cooling, peel, core, and finely dice (1/3 inch) remaining 2 pears (1 pound), then toss with remaining tablespoon lemon juice in a bowl.
• Spoon 1/4 cup sauce into each of 6 (8-ounce) glasses and top each serving with 2 tablespoons diced pear. Then spread 2 tablespoons yogurt in each glass and top with 2 more tablespoons diced pear and 1/4 cup sauce.

Steps:

• For compote:
• Cook apricots, sugar, and 1 cup water in a small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until apricots are plump, soft, and just beginning to break down, about 30 minutes. Transfer compote to a small bowl and let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
• For crumble:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Rub mixture with your fingertips until butter is completely incorporated and mixture resembles wet sand. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 15-17 minutes. Let cool completely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.
• For assembly:
• Scoop 2 tablespoons ice cream into each small jar or sturdy glass. Spoon 1 tablespoon apricot compote over ice cream and top with 1 tablespoon crumble. Repeat with remaining ingredients for 6 layers total. Freeze for 30 minutes to set.

Steps:

• For the granola: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or brush lightly with canola oil.
• Combine the oats, almonds and walnuts in a large bowl. Combine the honey, canola oil, olive oil, sugar, syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well until combined. Turn the mixture out onto an 11- by 7-inch jelly-roll pan, and spread into an even layer.
• Bake, stirring and re-spreading the mixture into an even layer every 5 minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 45 minutes. Immediately turn the granola out onto another jelly-roll pan to cool and stop the cooking process. Stir in the apricots and raisins and then spread the granola evenly in the pan. Set on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Loosen any dried granola with a spatula and store in an airtight container.
• For the parfait: Combine the nectar, apricots, sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the apricots are soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cover. Let the mixture chill in the fridge.
• Fold the apricot puree into the yogurt (don't combine completely), and layer in parfait glasses with the California granola.

Steps:

• Pour the preserves into a small bowl and stir until thinned.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of the preserves into each of 4 parfait glasses (or other type of small glass).
• Top each with 1 cookie.
• Top cookie with 1/2 cup vanilla pudding.
• Top pudding with another tablespoon of preserves.
• Finish by topping each parfait with some cool whip.

Steps:

• Pour the preserves into a small bowl and stir until thinned.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of the preserves into each of four 6-ounce double old-fashioned or parfait glasses.
• Top each with 1 cookie, then ½ cup of the pudding, then another tablespoon of the preserves. Finish by topping each parfait with a dollop of the whipped cream.