Fresh Apricot Compote with Vanilla

The apricots available at my local farmer's market are of the rosy cheeked variety, and this time of year it is impossible to ignore them. Their blushing faces stare up at me from their baskets every time I walk by, making them completely irresistible to my produce loving heart and I pick up a handful or two every chance I get.

Like most fruit this time of year, fresh apricots require very little to make them sing. Prepared this way, they are not as sweet or smooth as jam, but a bit of sugar (or honey), vanilla, and gentle heat coaxes out all of their wonderful rich, buttery flavor without losing their distinct tartness. They slump over in the pan and release their juices making them the perfect topping for all sorts of dishes. 

The day I made this compote, we piled big spoonfuls on top of a batch of "Waffles of Insane Greatness" which were so tasty and easy to put together on the fly, but if you can anticipate your desire for waffles the night before, give Marion Cunningham's Yeasted Waffles a try. You have to let part of the batter rest overnight, but the reward of crisp, full flavored breakfast treats will far outweigh the little bit of effort required to put the batter together. Both recipes can be found in this post (with far more poetic descriptions) by Molly from Orangette if you're curious.

I can also say with authority that the compote is great eaten by the spoonful, straight from the fridge or with yogurt for breakfast or an afternoon snack. I imagine it would also be delicious spooned over some crispy baked puff pastry and garnished with a dollop of creme fraiche for dessert.

See how I used apricots last summer in this Apricot Jam with Saffron and Rose.

Fresh Apricot Compote with Vanilla

yield about 1 1/2 cups

1 pound/453g rosy cheeked apricots

1.5-3 ounces/36-72g sugar or honey depending on the sweetness of the fruit

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

1, 1/2'' wide strip of lemon zest

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons water

1. Remove the pits from the apricots by gently tearing the fruit in half. Add the pitted apricot halves, sugar, vanilla bean seeds and pod, lemon zest, lemon juice and water to a medium saucepan and stir gently to combine.

2. Cook the mixture on medium low heat until the sugar dissolves and the apricots begin to release their juices. Turn the heat up to medium and gently simmer the apricots, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft and beginning to fall apart, but not completely mushy. About 10-15 minutes. Taste the apricots and add a bit more sweetener if desired.

3. Remove the vanilla bean pod and reserve it for another use, remove the strip of lemon zest and serve the apricots warm or cold. If there are any leftovers, store them in the fridge.

Whole Wheat Plum Crumb Bars

I know it's boring to talk about the weather, but here I am, bringing it up again. Living in a place with four distinct seasons forces me to stop and reflect upon what each season brings. Maybe this tendency (along with the grey hair that has started sprouting out of my head) is just another sign that I'm getting older, who's to say for sure? All I know is that this summer, NYC is bringing the heat. It has been a hot, humid summer tempered only by an occasional epic thunderstorm and lots of cold watermelon.

Despite my general dislike of east coast summer temps, I've found a way to ease myself right into the season this year. I find myself in the kitchen most days, weighing flours, cutting butter into even hunks, dropping cubes of ice into a measuring cup of water. I make pie dough and puff pastry and crumbles like this one to house all of the gorgeous summer fruit that I can't stop buying. I make endless, floury messes and clean them up countless times. I turn on the oven when it is far too hot for any sane person to bake. Then, I load my camera with film and try to capture some of this season's essence to remember later in the year when I am complaining about how my toes just won't get warm no matter how many pairs of socks I put on. And if I'm lucky I get to escape the city every once in a while for wide open spaces, hopefully to gather more of summer's bounty.

These perfectly tart crumb bars were baked for just such an occasion, when a group of city kids migrated upstate for the day to drink icy cold beers and make pizzas in a wood fired oven that I had a hand in building. Next time I get up there I am going to do some wood fired baking. Wish me luck!

Whole Wheat Plum Crumb Bars

yield 1 9x13 pan

For the Bottom Crust

6 ounces/170g butter, melted and cooled

3.5 ounces/100g sugar

4.5 ounces/127g all purpose flour

4.5 ounces/127g whole wheat flour

3/4t salt

2t vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350º and line a 9x13 baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Lightly grease the inside of the pan.

1. In a large bowl, combine the flours, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add in the melted butter and  vanilla extract. Stir gently until a dough forms.

2. Pat the dough evenly into the prepared pan. Slide the pan into the oven and bake until light golden brown, about 20 minutes. Set aside to cool while you prepare the filling and crumble.

For the Filling

The plums I used for this recipe were quite tart. The amount of sugar listed below sweetened them gently while leaving some of that lovely tartness behind, which was perfect. If you are working with sweet juicy plums, you might want to cut back on the sugar a bit.

1lb plums (I used a combination of red and black plums)

1.75 ounces/50g sugar

1/2t ground cinnamon

1t ground cardamom

2t vanilla extract

.5 ounce/14g flour

1. Pit and roughly chop the plums. Put them in a bowl and add the sugar, spices, vanilla and flour. Toss gently to combine. Pour over the cooled crust.

For the Crumb Topping

6 ounces/170g soft butter

3.5 ounces/100g rolled oats

2.25 ounces/64g all purpose flour

2.25 ounces/64g  whole wheat flour

5 ounces/120g sugar

1/4t baking soda

1/2t salt

Preheat oven to 375º

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, flours, sugar, baking soda and salt. Add in the butter and use your hands to work it into the mixture until it holds together in medium clumps. Sprinkle it evenly over the plum filling.

2. Slide the bars into the oven and bake until the topping is golden brown and the plums begin to release their juices, 30-40min. Cool completely before slicing