We offered to bring some finger-food treats to a friend's party this weekend. It needed to be something quick to make and preferably a recipe that wouldn't heat up the oven in the 90º heat. This two-bite dessert is light, easy, and oh-so-quick. We just stuffed tiny fresh apricots with a creamy filling of lemon and almond cream cheese, lightly sweetened and dusted with cinnamon. They went over quite well, and we went looking for more fruit to dip into the leftover filling!
Almond Cream Cheese Apricots
12 servings
1 dozen firm, ripe apricots
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup powdered sugar, or to taste
1/4 cup cream
Zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Crushed toasted almonds
Cinnamon
Cut the apricots in half and pit. Hollow out a little more of the center with a paring knife or melon baller.
Whip the cream cheese with the almond meal, sugar, cream, lemon zest, vanilla and salt until light and fluffy. Put the mixture into a pastry bag and, using a large tip, pipe into the apricot halves. Sprinkle them with almonds and dust with cinnamon.
These hold overnight in the fridge quite well, especially if you pat the apricot halves dry before filling.
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What size package of cream cheese?
view Joan A.'s profile
whoops - 8 ounces. Thanks Joan.
view faith's profile
Makes me think of something I had for brunch at a friend's place :a pit less date, topped with cream cheese and a walnut.
view isabelle m's profile
Sounds delicious. I made something similar, just halve and pit apricots, fill with ricotta mixture (can't remember what was in it, but something like the recipe here would be perfect, or just plain ricotta would be great too, I'm sure) then put the halves back together and add a little mint sprig as a "leaf." So easy and cute.
view mjoe's profile
That's perfect for summer, you don't have to bake them, and thus turn on the oven. Could you do the same thing with peaches?
view sugarplum's profile
sugarplum - sure! These were finger-food - peaches would probably be more fork-food. Last year I filled nectarines with panna cotta which was also pretty easy and yummy.
view faith's profile