Apricot-Coconut Pearls

Submitted by Mme M

"This is sweet, but doesn't have a lot of sugar in it. The apricot-coconut paste must be handled when it is chilled. If necessary, thin the melted white cooking chocolate with coconut milk if it should harden too much.------"

 

• Ready In: 35mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 12 pearls
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 200 g white cooking chocolate
• 200 g dried apricots
• 200 ml coconut milk
• 70 g desiccated coconut
• 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons brown sugar

directions

1. Pour 200ml coconut milk into a saucepan.
2. Put 200g dried apricots into the coconut milk.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of fennel seeds.
4. Add 70g dessicated coconut.
5. Bring this mix to a boil, then simmer it for about 10 minutes, or until the apricots are soft enough to lightly mash with a spoon.
6. Turn off the heat.
7. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
8. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar.
9. Blend it all lightly with a spoon.
10. Allow to steep for 15 or 20 minutes.
11. The mixture will thicken in this time, and all the flavors will be absorbed.
12. When it is just warm, put the mixture into a food processor.
13. Add 1 tablespoon dessicated coconut.
14. Chop in the food processor until nicely chopped.
15. Blend in processor until smooth, until it is a rough paste.
16. Put the paste onto a flat plate, smoothing it out flat.
17. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
18. The following day, cut away a teaspoonful at a time, and form little balls in the palms of your hand with this paste.
19. Melt the white chocolate.
20. Coat each ball with the melted chocolate, or dip each pearl in the melted chocolate.
21. Refrigerate until serving.

Reviews

[justcallmetoni]

I had 14 recipes in my "must try" cookbook for Ready Set Cook #9 but was not able to make it during the contest because I could not find dessicated coconut and was trying hard to prepare contest recipes as presented. Contest over, I decided to try it with flaked coconut and thrilled that I did. To emulate the original ingredient I hand chopped my coconut into tiny bits and let it air dry on the counter for an hour or so. Because it was sweetened, I also reduced the amount of brown sugar by a third. Like other candies, this might look complicated at first but it was quite easy to put together and the directions are very good. The results are superb and unusual. The fennel gives a nice anise-like flavor which balances the sweetness of the coconut, apricots and white chocolate. (I loved the filling and would have happily eaten it without further treatment.) My first two pearls were very small and delicate and the later were larger to match the specifications provided. The larger tasted better because the amount of white chocolate was much in the smaller candies and the delicate flavors of the filling was lost. My pearls were intended to be part of my Easter packages but suspect they will be long gone by then. Thanks Mme Melissa.