Apricot Ball Candy!

[foamheart]

IF you know someone that likes apricots You really should make this for them. It a small quantity but is full of flavor. Its made with dried fruit so its year round. It takes maybe 15 mins. to make if you include clean up!

My Mom did so love apricots. She was brought up in the dust bowl era in the cotton fields of West Texas, so you know it had to be something take could be kept in the cabinet indefinitely.



That's a 6" plate. You are supposed to roll them in colored sugar. Didn't say what color but since I had green, gold & purple left over from the Mardi Gras King Cakes, these are Mardi Gras balls...LOL

Please do not confuse these with:
Delicious Dish: Schweddy Balls

Enjoy!


Ingredients:
3/4 cup dried apricot
1/2 cup nuts
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
Steam apricots for 5 mins. Chop Fruit with nuts and coconut. Stir in rinds and juice. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll into colored granulated sugar.

WOW this cookbook app makes this so much easier! I told ya I was building a family cook book!

 

[indaswamp]

I guess the apricot is the binder in this recipe? Looks good!

 

[foamheart]

I guess the apricot is the binder in this recipe? Looks good!

LOL... I worried about the same thing. These are my Mom's and Great's and Great greats recipes I have put in a book for for Sister and her Grand kids. It binds up well, I used an Oscar processer. I HATE , HATE food processors, they ruined my Mom's cooking! I am sure she chopped all this up. I also worried about the sugar coating, see it 0% tumidity were she was raised. I figured I watch and see how they do just sitting on the counter uncovered. LOL.... if there is any left by tomorrow.

 

[SmokinAl]

They look delicious!
I'm not a big sweet eater, but I'd sure give those a shot!
Al

 

[tropics]

Looks like something my wife would Love
Saving this for the to do list LIKE
Richie

 

[bluewhisper]

My mother would make orange/apricot balls but they were more chunky. The dried apricot and the orange rind were cut to fine shreds and cooked together with sugar (no coconut) then balled and rolled in sugar. Very tart and sweet at the same time. For the holidays she would make a version including cooked cranberries. The best way to handle/store them is to use those small paper pastry cups.

 

[foamheart]

They look delicious!
I'm not a big sweet eater, but I'd sure give those a shot!
Al

They didn't take 10 mins to make, they didn't cost 5.00 for the ingredients and there is plenty left to try other ideas. You could make these with any dried fruit apple, peaches, cranberries, etc...... The Apricot though is a different taste because you hardly ever see it anywhere. I have old taste buds, and I can't really taste the coconut, initially I don't taste the apricot, but that taste sort of lingers and growns in your mouth. I was really wondering about how these would be, I gotta say I am pleasantly surprised


.

 

[foamheart]

Looks like something my wife would Love
Saving this for the to do list LIKE
Richie

Richie, a suggestion. When you buy the apricot, get some apple, or pineapple or cranberry or peach also. Whatever you think she'll like. The texture on these are different. My first thought was they would be good covered in chocolate like a Martha Washington ball. Then I realized the chocolate would probably ruin it. Its more like a "Candy" you'd get in the middle east at a bazaar.

 

[foamheart]

My mother would make orange/apricot balls but they were more chunky. The dried apricot and the orange rind were cut to fine shreds and cooked together with sugar (no coconut) then balled and rolled in sugar. Very tart and sweet at the same time. For the holidays she would make a version including cooked cranberries. The best way to handle/store them is to use those small paper pastry cups.

That is exactly what I was thinking my Mom would do as a kid making these. I bet she steamed the appricot and you might have just missed the coconut because seriously I can't taste it. I am quit impressed so far with how the sugar has resisted dissolving as the coating. Maybe the goo of the coconut is binding with no liquid? BTW I in my infinte wisdom added a touch more lemon juice because I spilled some. I think that maybe what running interference and blocking the initial apricot maybe even the coconut.

I can most assuredly see this a bit more chunky but not too much. I am thinking how cool they will look around a Mardi Gras King Cake, a piece of cake and an apricot ball!

I had some small metal looking cups, what my Sister called nut cups, but I am guessing she told me what they were when she borrowed them....LOL So here are some cup cake cups. and I can see how well the would work.