Dessert Recipes - Dried Apricot and Brandy Fool Recipe

Ingredients

• 350 g/12 oz dried apricots

• 750 ml/1 1/4 pts/3 cups water

• 75 g/3 oz/1/3 cup light brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 20 g/1 1/2 tbsp caster (superfine) sugar

• 150 ml/2/3 cup milk

• 150 ml/2/3 cup double (heavy) cream

• 45 ml/3 tbsp apricot brandy

• 6 small mint sprigs

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Method:

1. Put the apricots and water in a pan and leave to soak overnight. Add the brown sugar.

2. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the apricots are tender. Allow to cool slightly, then puree in a blender or food processor.

3. Beat together the egg, nearly all the caster sugar and 30 ml/2 tbsp of the milk. Bring the remaining milk almost to the boil.

4. Pour over the egg mixture, then return to the saucepan. Heat gently, stirring, until thickened, but do not allow to boil. Sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar to prevent a skin forming, then leave to cool.

5. Whip the cream until softly peaking. Add half the apricot puree to the custard, then fold in the cream. Mix the apricot brandy into the remaining puree.

6. Reserve 45 ml/3 tbsp for decoration and spoon the remaining puree into six glasses. Spoon the custard mixture over.

7. Swirl a little of the reserved puree on top of each fool and chill until ready to serve. Decorate each with a mint sprig just before serving.