Apricots with Amaretto Syrup (Albicocche Ripiene)

From the kitchen of Carly

Halved apricots poached in amaretto syrup until they're tender and glossy, then stuffed with crumbled almond macaroons that dissolve into the pan juices. Elegant Italian dessert that tastes far more complicated than it actually is.

Apricots with Amaretto Syrup (Albicocche Ripiene)

The apricot halves go soft in buttered caramel and amaretto while crumbled almond cookies melt into the syrup, turning it nutty and thick. Peeling the fruit first lets the syrup sink in completely, no fuzzy skin in the way. The result is almost like an Italian fruit compote, but faster and with way more personality.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 10firm-ripe large apricots
  • 2 tbspunsalted butter
  • 3 tbspsugar
  • 2/3 cupDisaronno Amaretto liqueur
  • 1/3 cupamaretti , crumbled
  • 1 1/2 tbspchopped pine nuts for sprinkling

Instructions

  1. Run a vegetable peeler over each apricot, then halve and pit them all. Finely chop 2 of the halves and set them aside.

  2. Melt the butter in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat and wait until the foam settles. Add the sugar and stir constantly until it turns golden brown, then pour in the Amaretto carefully, as the syrup will spatter. Stir and simmer for 2 minutes.

  3. Working in 2 batches, lower the apricot halves into the simmering syrup and turn them gently as they poach, 5 to 10 minutes per batch, until almost tender. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and arrange hollow-side up on a platter.

  4. Scatter the crumbled amaretti into the syrup and set the heat to low. Press and crush the cookies against the pan with the back of a wooden spoon until they dissolve into a coarse purée.

  5. Fold in the reserved chopped apricot and let everything simmer gently, stirring, until the syrup turns deep brown and thickens slightly. Pull it off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

  6. Spoon the warm syrup generously over the apricots, then scatter the pine nuts on top if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Peel apricots in advance if you want to skip that step at serving time, but work quickly since they'll start to brown. A vegetable peeler does the job faster than blanching. Chop those 2 reserved halves while the rest poach so they're ready to go into the syrup.
  • Watch the sugar as it caramelizes. You want deep golden, not burnt. Once it hits that color, add the Amaretto right away. Stand back when you pour it in because the syrup will hiss and spit.
  • Crush the amaretti cookies by hand into chunky pieces before they hit the syrup. They'll break down faster and more evenly as they cook, and you'll get that coarse purée texture instead of a gritty mess.

Variations

  • Skip the liqueur altogether if you want. Use 2/3 cup strong brewed coffee or even water with an extra tablespoon of sugar instead. The amaretti still carry all the almond flavor you need.
  • Swap the pine nuts for pistachios, toasted chopped hazelnuts, or a sprinkle of fleur de sel if you want a salty edge. Toast any nut first so it stays crisp.
  • Use plums or peaches cut the same way. Peaches will take a few minutes longer to poach because they're usually firmer. The amaretto syrup works with almost any stone fruit.
  • Serve these with mascarpone or thick yogurt on the side. The cool, tangy dairy cuts through the sweet almond syrup perfectly.

Make ahead and storage

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavors actually deepen as they sit. Serve chilled or gently reheated in a low oven, never the microwave, which will split the fruit.