Sachertorte

To continue our Austrian theme, Miss F's favorite desserts on our trip were Bienenstich and Sachertorte. She was obsessed with both.  She wanted to make a Sachertorte for Grandad's birthday.  It is a rich chocolate cake glazed with apricot jam and covered in more chocolate.  I heavily adapted the recipe and swapped the chocolate glaze for a ganache, just because it seemed so much easier (and it was!)  Miss F was so sad when the cake was gone, she was already asking to make it again.

Sachertorte

¾ cup chocolate chips
9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
Apricot glaze
Chocolate glaze

To make the torte: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment or wax paper. Dust the sides of the pan with flour and tap out the excess.

In the top part of a double boiler over very hot, but not simmering, water, or in a microwave at medium power, melt the chocolate. Remove from the heat or the oven, and let stand, stirring often, until cool. Beat the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle blade on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. On low speed, beat in the confectioners' sugar. Return the speed to medium-high and beat until light in color and texture, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the chocolate and vanilla.

Beat the egg whites and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer on high speed just until they form soft, shiny peaks. Do not overbeat. Stir about one fourth of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, leaving a few visible wisps of whites. Sift half of the flour over the chocolate mixture, and fold in with a large balloon whisk or rubber spatula. Repeat with the remaining flour.

Spread evenly in the pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. (The cake will dome in the center.) Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan, and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the paper and reinvert on another rack to turn right side up. Cool completely.

To assemble: Using a long serrated knife, trim the top of the cake to make it level. Cut the cake horizontally into two equal layers. Place one cake layer on an 8-inch cardboard round. Brush the top of the cake layer with the apricot glaze. Place the second cake layer on top and brush again. Brush the top and sides of the cake with the remaining glaze. Transfer the cake to a wire rack placed over a jelly-roll pan lined with waxed paper. Let cool until the glaze is set.

Make the chocolate glaze (it must be freshly made and warm). Pour all of the warm chocolate glaze on top of the cake. Using a metal offset spatula, gently smooth the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides, being sure that the glaze completely coats the cake (patch any bare spots with the spatula and the icing that has dripped). Cool until the glaze is barely set, then transfer the cake to a serving plate. Refrigerate until the glaze is completely set, at least 1 hour. Remove the cake from the refrigerator about 1 hour before serving.

To serve, slice with a sharp knife dipped into hot water. Serve with a large dollop of whipped cream on the side.

Apricot Glaze

1 ¼ cups apricot preserves
2 tablespoons water

Bring the preserves and water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often. Cook, stirring often, until the last drops that cling to the spoon are very sticky and reluctant to leave the spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain through a wire sieve into a small bowl, pressing hard on the solids. Use warm.

Chocolate Glaze

½ cup cream
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Stir together the cream and chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between each, until all the chips are melted.

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Crispy Apricot Pork Chops

I am always looking for new ways to make the thick cut pork chops at Costco. I also always seem to have apricot jam on hand (you never know when you NEED apricot baked brie.)  These pork chops from Martha Stewart fit the bill perfectly.  I used my ultra-useful mini-chop to make the breadcrumbs, which I need to do more often.  If you don't have sandwich bread around, store bought breadcrumbs would work just as well, Panko would be great too.

Crispy Apricot Pork Chops

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for baking sheet
2 slices multigrain sandwich bread
4 bone-in pork loin chops (about 8 ounces each, 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick), patted dry
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 teaspoons apricot jam

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with oil and set aside. Tear the bread into pieces, then pulse in the food processor until crumbs form. Drizzle with oil, then pulse a time or two, until the crumbs are just moistened. Season each pork chop with salt and pepper, top each with a teaspoon of apricot jam. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the jam, pressing them in gently. Place the pork chops on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, serve immediately.

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Apricot Roast Chicken

I love roast chicken, especially when cooked over a bed of root vegetables. It is so easy to prep and always yields impressive results.  This recipe is amazingly easy and perfect for an autumn Sunday dinner.   I adapted this recipe from the Organic Kitchen, I even used an organic whole chicken because I got one in the meat sale bin.  It was so much smaller than the franken chickens I am used to, which meant that it actually worked for a weeknight meal because it cooked up so quickly.  The sweet orange and apricot glaze made for delicious chicken skin.

Apricot Roast Chicken

One whole chicken
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons apricot preserves
1 orange, half sliced and half juiced
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence
5 red potatoes, halved
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
4 shallots, peeled (if small leave whole, if large cut in half)
2 stalks celery, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Clean the chicken, removing all giblets. Place the chicken in a roasting pan. Whisk together 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, the orange juice and apricot preserves in a small bowl, brush the mixture on all sides of the chicken and stuff the juiced orange half in the cavity. Sprinkle the chicken with half of the Herbes de Provence, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Layer the potatoes, carrots, shallots and celery around the chicken, toss with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with the remaining Herbes de Provence, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Place the roasting pan in the oven and roast for 20 minutes per pound, until the temperature of the thickest part of the thigh reaches 155 degrees. Remove from the oven, tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve and serve.

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Panko Pork with Apricot Dipping Sauce

This meal was originally supposed to be an apricot pork stir fry.  The birthday dinner for my dad had been postponed and I had a jar of apricot jam I had bought to make his favorite baked brie.  C and I ended up meeting for lunch and we had Thai food, so I wasn't in the mood for a stir fry that evening, neither was he.  So Panko Pork with Apricot Dipping Sauce was born.  We'll call it the sweeter relative of Pork Things.  Miss F devoured hers, but she preferred to dip hers in mustard.  Crazy kid!

Panko Pork with Apricot Dipping Sauce

½ cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Sriracha

1 egg
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 boneless center-cut pork chops, pounded to 1/8" thickness
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

In a small saucepan, stir together the jam, mustard, soy sauce, vinegar and Sriracha. Heat over medium to bring to a simmer, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Combine Panko, salt, and pepper on a large plate. Dip in egg mixture, then in Panko, pressing to adhere. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook pork until golden brown and cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, adding 1 tablespoon vegetable oil after turning. Drain on paper towels. Serve the pork with the prepared apricot sauce.

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Apricot Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is such an easy cut of meat to prepare. There are so many great recipes for it, but this recipe for Apricot Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin from Kitchenette looked amazing. I love apricot preserves on nearly anything and add in some acid from the balsamic and you pretty much have perfection. The glaze also worked great for dipping the rosemary roasted potatoes into.  And I might have dipped my broccoli in it as well.  I do love apple cider vinegar on my broccoli, so this is just a little fancier.

Apricot Balsamic Glazed Pork Tenderloin

½ cup apricot preserves
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat & silverskin

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a small sauce pan, stir together the preserves, vinegar, lemon juice and herbs. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, until thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve 1/3 cup of the glaze for serving.

Season the tenderloin with salt and pepper. Place on a greased baking sheet and coat the pork with the glaze, using a brush, on all sides. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees. Let the pork rest 10 minutes before slicing, serve with reserved glaze.

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Apricot Dijon Glazed Chicken

I have had this recipe from Martha Stewart pinned for the longest time.  It is very similar to the apricot dijon pork chops that I love to make, so I knew my family would enjoy it.  I was right!  Miss F was all about "more chicken!"  This recipe is really easy and I usually have all the ingredients on hand, so it makes for an easy weeknight meal.  We ate it with mashed potatoes and green beans, bribing Miss F with "more chicken" to eat her mashed potatoes.  To her credit, I hated mashed potatoes as a kid as well.

Apricot-Dijon Glazed Chicken

4 chicken thighs
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Rinse chicken thighs; pat dry, and transfer to a baking dish. Season well with salt and pepper; set aside. Bring jam, honey, and mustard to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until thickened and reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Spoon apricot mixture over chicken thighs, spreading with back of spoon to coat evenly. Bake chicken, basting with sauce from bottom of dish every 10 minutes, until juices run clear when chicken is pricked with a fork, about 30 minutes.

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Apricot, Brie and Arugula Pizza

This was probably my most favorite pizza I served during the wine exchange. I got the idea when I saw Pioneer Woman topped a fig pizza with arugula. One of my most favorite appetizers to serve is apricot baked brie.  I figured it would translate well to a pizza and I was right.  I could have eaten the whole pie myself, in fact, I believe I traded away a slice of the prosciutto and sausage pizza (I don't really go for meat on pizza) for another slice of this pizza. Major thanks go to my friend Courtney for suggesting tossing the arugula with truffle oil, which was completely genius and really sent this pizza to a whole new level.

Apricot, Brie and Arugula Pizza

1 recipe of your favorite pizza crust
1 cup apricot jam
½ teaspoon salt
Your favorite pizza dough
½ pound Brie, sliced thinly
1 cup arugula
2 teaspoons champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon truffle oil

Place your pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Microwave the jam and salt in a small microwave safe dish for a minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Prepare your pizza crust on a piece of parchment paper. Spread the jam on the pizza crust and top with the Brie. Transfer the pizza on parchment to the pizza stone and bake for 10 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Meanwhile, toss the arugula with the vinegar and truffle oil. Top the warm pizza with the arugula, slice and serve.

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Apricot Baked Brie

I got this recipe from one of my mom's neighbors years ago. She also makes the same thing with honeycup mustard instead of apricot preserves for something more savory than sweet. This is one of my easy go to appetizers for a party. It has just a few ingredients and has very little to prep. I could eat the whole thing myself, easily.  I adore brie, how can you not?  And since you are eating it with fruit, it is a little healthy, right?  At least that is what I tell myself.

Apricot Baked Brie

1 wheel of Brie
¼ cup apricot preserves
1 sheet of puff pastry
Apple and pear slices, grapes, crackers

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a glass baking dish with no-stick cooking spray. Top the wheel of brie with apricot preserves and wrap with the puff pastry. Place the brie with the puff pastry seam down in the baking dish. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until pastry is browned. Serve with apples, pears, grapes and crackers.

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Spicy Apricot Pork Tenderloin

My most favorite pork tenderloin recipe is my mom's Soy Lime Pork Tenderloin. This recipe may be my second most favorite. The inspiration for this recipe comes from the fantastic Oishii Food. Miss F devoured it, spicy and meat are her favorite tastes. The pork is full of flavor, with a touch of spicy and sweet.  Pork tenderloin is such a great weeknight meal because it cooks up so quickly.  The best part of this recipe is that it doesn't need to be marinaded in advance.

Spicy Apricot Pork Tenderloin

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons apricot preserves
Juice of half of a lemon
1 tablespoon Sriracha
1 pork tenderloin

Whisk together the oil, preserves, lemon juice and Sriracha in a large bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the pork, tossing to coat. If grilling, grill 6 minutes per side, basting with the apricot mixture every turn, until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. If using a broiler, broil about 4 inches away from the heat source, turning and basting every 5 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 155 degrees. Tent the pork with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice and serve.

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Apricot Dijon Pork Chops

I recently discovered a really neat blog, Budget Bytes. It's no secret that I love saving money, who doesn't? I spent a good hour pinning items on my Pinterest from the blog, there were so many good recipes to choose from. This is the first one I have cooked from the blog and it happens to be the original recipe that I had the link to. Years ago, I made a fantastic apricot chicken recipe, but I have since lost the recipe on some hard drive somewhere and I have tried recreating a few times, with little success. C started off saying that the kitchen smelled "pungent." Uh oh. Turns out, he really liked the sauce, surprise suprise. He also liked the Hassleback potatoes, even though he didn't want to.

Apricot Dijon Pork Chops

½ cup apricot preserves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup water
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 thin cut pork chops

Whisk together the preserves, mustard, vinegar, garlic powder and water. Set aside. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Salt and pepper the pork chops. Sauté the pork chops in the skillet until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes per side. Remove the pork chops to a plate and tent with foil. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the apricot sauce to the pan. Stir the sauce for 2 minutes, scraping the pan drippings from the bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper to taste. Return the pork chops to the skillet and coat with sauce. Serve.

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