Poached apricots and oat biscuits: Lawrence Murphy

The fresh, fragrant and slightly acidic sweet taste of apricots means they can be cooked as desserts or savoury dishes as well as just eaten as a fruit.

They come from abroad in early summer and the home grown varieties are just about ripening now and will continue to be available for another month or so.

The apricot fruits vary in size and colour but all have that lovely zing that you don’t find in peaches.

Originating in China and discovered by the Persians, they were cultivated in the Mediterranean where their popularity grew.

The Spanish introduced them to the rest of the world. Apricots are a great source of Vitamin A and C, are high in fibre, and also good for your heart. A bit of a compact superfood.

In this simple dessert, I poach the apricots and serve them with oat biscuits, almonds and a little cream.

Perfect for summer.

Ingredients – serves 4

Poached apricots

200ml water

200g caster sugar

200g small apricots halved and stoned

Oat biscuits – makes 8 

90g plain flour

50g oats

55g butter

25g sugar

1/2 egg whisked

Apricot Sauce

100ml syrup taken from above

80g apricots

A little whipped cream and some toasted almonds

Method

1. Heat the sugar and water together to form a stock syrup.

2. Keep on a low heat and add the apricot halves. Cook gently tor 2 mins.

3. Turn the apricots over and cook for a further 2 mins until softening and the skins start to come away from the flesh ever so slightly.

4. Remove the apricots from the stock and allow to cool. Peel off the skins.

5. Make the biscuits by rubbing the butter into the flour oats and sugar.

6. Add the eggs and mix to form a dough. Allow to rest in the fridge for 15 mins before rolling out and cutting 8 x 6.5cm circles with a cutter.

7. Cook in a preheated oven 180C gas 5 for 10 mins until golden brown. Allow to cool.

8. While the biscuits are cooking take 100ml of the leftover stock syrup and add the 80g chopped apricots. Cook for 10 mins so they break down.

9. Liquidise and allow to cool.

10. To plate put two or three apricot halves in 4 bowls top with a biscuit and repeat this again.

11 Add a little cream to the top biscuit and drizzle on the apricot sauce. Sprinkle on the toasted almonds.