Treat yourself to luscious chocolate dipped apricots on Valentine's Day or any day - tangy dried apricots and rich dark chocolate are a winning combination. (Skip to recipe.)
Valentine's Day doesn't always have to be about pink and red and lace and hearts and frills. It's just about showing those you love that you're thinking about them.
And it's nice if it involves something a little sweet . . . with perhaps a kiss of chocolate . . .
. . . like these chocolate-dipped apricots. Small, simple, sweet.
They say I love you just as beautifully as chocolate-dipped strawberries do.
How many of you remember painstakingly cutting out and gluing together your own paper valentines and envelopes from these books of printed Valentines cards you bought at the drugstore?
It was a whole afternoon's labour of fun Valentine love to produce those slightly glue-sticky and misshapen, but sort-of handmade cards. I remember agonizing about which card to give to which classmate - especially the boys, since all the cards were a tad bit mushy. Would he think I liked him? Did I want him to? Oh, the delicate but delicious heartache of it all!
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Okay, I admit, it is a little bit all about pink and red and hearts and sweet frills.
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Kitchen Frau Notes: Use a good quality dark chocolate for these little treats. Superstore sells Bernard Callebaut dark chocolate chunks in the bulk section that I like to use.
To take care of any leftover melted chocolate:
- Spread leftover chocolate into about ¼inch (½cm) layer onto parchment paper. Let harden then chop into chunks and use instead of chocolate chips in baking.
- Or dip pretzels into the leftover melted chocolate until all used up.
- Or place leftover melted chocolate into a baggie, let harden and save to re-melt for another batch of chocolate-dipped fruit.
- Or spread leftover chocolate into a puddle onto parchment paper - sprinkle with chopped toasted nuts, seeds, cut-up dried fruits, raisins, dried cranberries, crushed candy, etc, let harden and break into pieces for a little bit of chocolate bark to enjoy as a sweet treat.
Chocolate Dipped Apricots
- whole dried apricots
- good quality dark chocolate
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or glass or metal bowl set over a pot on the stove containing hot, barely simmering water. Alternatively you can melt the chocolate in a glass measuring cup or bowl in a microwave. Stir the melted chocolate until it is smooth.
If you are only making a small amount pour it into a small bowl or measuring cup so it is deep enough to dip the apricot halves. Wipe the bottom of the bowl or double boiler dry before you pour, so that no water drips into the smaller bowl to make the chocolate seize up.
Line a cookie sheet or tray with parchment paper or wax paper.
Dip the apricots half to two thirds of the way into the melted chocolate and lay them onto the lined cookie sheet. As you lay them down, position them so the little peak of melted chocolate at the end is tucked under each apricot to make a nice rounded top. Leave them to harden.
Pack them up in pretty little containers or bags to give away, or share at home with your loved ones. They make perfect sweet little nibbles to end a meal when you don't want a heavy dessert.
Guten Appetit!
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