Well this one is super-easy…
Apricots are up there with the Best of Fruit. Or, at least, they should be. Too often, they flatter to deceive and they’re just a little bit crunchy or just a little bit tasteless and, ultimately, just a little bit disappointing.
Have no fear, because this recipe is guaranteed to make the most of even the saddest of apricots, it will get loads of fruit into you, and it only takes about 15 minutes.
Ingredients (for 2)
About 10 apricots
Some natural yoghurt
Some honey (doesn’t have to be the best. Just some honey.)
4 or 5 biscuits (cinnamon would be ideal, speculoos/spekulatius style. But if all you have is the humble Hob Nob, then by all means give them a go. Rich Tea are probably a bit too austere).
Method
This one is really quick. You’re not going to have time to listen to the Best of the Ramones, let alone Wagner, and, by the time it comes to cook this, the Spritz hour has passed. So maybe just have a small prosecco to hand.
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Whilst the oven is warming up, wash, halve and stone the apricots. Drizzle honey into the centre of each.
3. Put the apricots in the oven. They’re going to be in there for about 15 minutes.
4. In the meantime, take the biscuits and crush them. Don’t go mad…you don’t want them to be just a powder. Leave a few nice crunchy bits.
5. At this point you may drink the Prosecco.
6. By the time you’ve finished it, the apricots will probably be done. Tip them into a bowl and mash them to a puree with a fork.
7. Now this is the really cheffy bit! Take a Martini glass and build layers of apricot, yoghurt and biscuit; and then repeat. If you have over-enthusiastically crushed the biscuits, save the most powdery bits to sprinkle on top. You could try a mint or basil leaf on the top if you like, but I think we’re kind of getting into fusion cooking there. You don’t, strictly speaking, even have to have a Martini glass but, frankly, I think it’s worth investing in a set just to make this. And then you could have Martinis as well!
It should all look rather lovely and be intensely apricot-ey. And, given the amount of fruit, it’s possibly quite good for you as well! It’s a nice, easy dish that you can prep in advance for a dinner party or just throw together at the last minute. There is no better way of dealing with disappointing apricots!
Happy eating everyone!
Philip Gwynne Jones 
Thank you for Apricots and more! I love this recipe, and I love and have read all your books, meaning your Midlife Adventure (admired you and your wife greatly, had thoughts of moving to Venice!) and five Venetian mysteries.
Thank you for them, for the fresh approach to mystery writing- more adventurous, humorous, romantic, light and dramatic all at the same time. Thank you for your Venice which I adore, meaning I adore my Venice and your way of giving real names of places, routs your characters take, which makes it possible to visualize the real bella Venezia. Every time I started one I wanted to keep reading and couldn’t put it the Kindle book down. Please keep writing, Mr. Jones!
P.S. Postpandemically I am thinking of rereading Vengince in Venice, my favourite. Very best regards to Mrs Jones.
Respectfully your fan Marina Lambert
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Thanks so much for the lovely comment Marina. Yes, there’ll be more Nathan books in the future – the next one is due next April and there’ll be more beyond that as well. “Vengeance” is my wife’s favourite as well!
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masterful! I have some amaretti biscuits just perfect for this dish, and for autumn, I think plums work nicely too.
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Plums….absolutely….so often they flatter to deceive as well!
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I do love a good squishy, sweet, juicy apricot.
This recipe will be kept for the other 99% of apricots that don’t make the grade.
Cheers and hugs.
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And hugs to you as well Yvonne! Happy cooking with those disappointing apricots!
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I’m expecting apricots in my produce box arriving tomorrow. Your timing is excellent.
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Excellent … there’s a bit of luck. Happy cooking!
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Interesting syndicated article, an interview with you, in our little, very local paper here in the North of England.
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Oh good – I remember doing a piece a few months ago, I’m glad it made it into print!! Glad you found it of interest.
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