Tart London: How to make vanilla & orange blossom poached apricots

Jemima Jones and Lucy Carr-Ellison poach sweet apricots with vanilla for the perfect summer breakfast
Lucy Carr-Ellison16 June 2017

The wait for summer apricots is finally over. Up until now we’ve been rushing into our greengrocer every week to ask if the apricots have come in yet. And this week, there they were, peachy orange with their flushed cheeks, waiting to be chosen.

Although they were still a little hard, we took home great handfuls of the sweet fruit so we could make this, one of our favourite breakfasts. This dish is so simple, perfect with a dollop of Greek yoghurt, some chopped pistachios and a sprinkle of bee pollen. Even better, it works perfectly with slightly unripe apricots. You could also serve it as a light dessert, with a panna cotta or a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.

The sweet smell and furry skins of apricots make us so happy. They evoke hot summer days in the Mediterranean, picnicking under the shade of a tree. Unfortunately apricots can be a bit hit and miss. The imported ones we get here in Britain often taste fluffy and underwhelming, but you can remedy that by poaching or roasting them. Pop them into a hot oven with a drizzle of white wine, a spoon or two of soft brown sugar and a few sprigs of thyme and you’ve got an easy, delicious pudding.

Around this time last year we were out in Tuscany, helping out a friend on a yoga retreat. The next-door neighbour was a wonderful old lady who brought over a basket of fresh apricots each day. We’ve never tasted fruit so sweetly perfect. It’s a memory that will stay with us forever.

Ingredients (serves 2)

300ml water

2 tbsp honey

2 bay leaves

1 cardamom pod, crushed

Zest of ½ lemon

1 vanilla pod

6 apricots, cut in half and stones removed

1/2 tsp orange blossom water

Greek yoghurt, to serve

A small handful of pistachios, chopped

A sprinkle of bee pollen

Method:

Put the water, honey, bay leaves, cardamom and lemon zest in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cut the vanilla pod in half lengthways, scrape out the seeds and add both the seeds and pod to the pan. Place the apricots in the pan and poach for 5 to 10 minutes until tender. Remove the fruit and place on a plate.

Boil down the remaining liquid for about 10 minutes to make a syrup. Take off the heat and add the orange blossom water. Spoon a few tablespoons of yoghurt into bowls, carefully place the apricots on top and drizzle over the syrup. Finish with chopped pistachios and bee pollen.

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