Apricots Poached in Rosé Wine

It’s often said that apricots are a ‘kitchen fruit’ because, despite their beautiful speckled skin and orange glow, they can be disappointingly woolly and flavourless. However, the application of a little heat and sugar changes everything.

Gently cooked in rosé wine, scented with vanilla, served with a big scoop of ice cream and some buttery homemade shortbread cookies, my Apricots Poached in Rosé Wine are truly heavenly.

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A true summer dessert

This is a great way to end a meal during the warmer months. Cool and refreshing, with just the right balance of sweet and tart, these gently cooked apricots sing of summer.

Prepare in advance

This is a brilliant dessert for entertaining as you can have it all ready to go well in advance. You can poach the apricots up to 3 days in advance, which means that when it comes to serving, there is nothing more strenuous for you to do than scoop out some ice cream, relax and enjoy.

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What sort of rosé is best to use?

Don’t use your best rosé for this recipe! You’re adding sugar, spice and cooking it, so you can get away with a cheaper drop. I do use a dry wine though so that the sweetness doesn’t become overpowering.

Try it with other summer fruits

This method of cooking will work with any stone fruit. Peaches and plums are both lovely, though you’ll need to peel the peaches first – a bit of a thankless task on a very hot summer day.

I know vanilla pods are expensive these days, but in this case, it is worth it. If you can’t get hold of one or they are just too expensive, make sure to use a good quality vanilla extract instead.

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Re-use the vanilla pod

Don’t throw the vanilla or the syrup away afterwards! The vanilla can be used to make a homemade vanilla extract or vanilla sugar, and the syrup is stunning to use in cocktails or mixed with a little prosecco – yum!.

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Apricots Poached in Rosé Wine

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Apricots Poached in Rosé Wine

Jay Wadams

Apricots Poached in Rosé Wine are a truly wonderful, summery dessert. Red speckled apricots poached in vanilla-scented rosé wine are so aromatic and so good. Serve with a big scoop of ice cream and some buttery homemade shortbread.

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4.88 from 8 votes

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 45 minutes mins

Serves 6

Ingredients

 

MetricU.S. Customary

• ▢ 500 ml rosé wine
• ▢ ½ a vanilla pod
• ▢ 75 g white sugar
• ▢ 500 g firm, ripe apricots

for the shortbread:

• ▢ 125 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• ▢ 75 g white sugar
• ▢ 150 g plain flour or all-purpose flour
• ▢ 25 g cornstarch
• ▢ pinch of salt
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract

to serve:

• ▢ good quality vanilla ice cream

Instructions

 

• MAKE THE SYRUP: Gently heat the rosé and sugar together in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  
• ADD THE APRICOTS AND VANILLA: Cut the apricots in half, and remove their stones, then add to the rosé. Use a teaspoon to scrape the seeds out of the vanilla pod, then add seeds and pod to the saucepan.
  
• POACH THE APRICOTS: Cover with a round of baking paper (a cartouche, see notes) and a lid and simmer very gently for 5-10 minutes. This depends on how large and firm the apricots are. Check after 5 minutes and judge how much longer from there.
  
• REDUCE SYRUP: When cooked, remove the apricots with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl. Bring the remaining syrup to a rolling boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 10 minutes. Pour the hot syrup over the apricots and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until needed.
  
• MAKE SHORTBREAD DOUGH: To make the shortbread, heat the oven to 180°C / 250°F / Gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Sift over the flour, cornflour and salt and add the vanilla extract. Stir until a loose dough forms, then turn out onto the benchtop and knead briefly until smooth.
  
• BAKE SHORTBREAD: Line a 20cm (8 in.) round springform cake tin with baking paper, then press the dough lightly into the prepared tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until just beginning to brown. Remove from the oven, use a small, sharp knife to score the surface of the shortbread into fingers or diamonds, then allow to cool completely in the tin. When cool, cut into shape.
  
• SERVE: Serve the poached apricots with a generous scoop of good quality vanilla ice cream and shortbread on the side.
  

Notes

A cartouche is a round of baking paper used to keep the fruit submerged in the pot. It's easiest to cut a square roughly the size of your saucepan, then fold it several times before cutting.

Recommended Equipment

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Digital Kitchen Scale

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Nutrition

Serving: 1 bowl | Calories: 435kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 2126IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 2mg

Tried this recipe?I’d love to hear how it went! Please leave a review or a star rating and let me know how it was! Use the hashtag #daysofjay on Instagram so I can see your delicious creations.

Course | Dessert

Cuisine | European

Ⓒ | Jay Wadams

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