Another lovely recipe from Nikki Duffy. The fragrance and delicate, tannic bitterness of Earl Grey tea makes it a good foil to the rich sweetness of dried apricots. A dollop of creamy, sweetened mascarpone turns the aromatic fruit compote into a satisfying pudding.
Serves 6
250g organic dried apricots, halved
500ml hot, strong Earl Grey tea
200g mascarpone
20g icing sugar, or to taste
A splash of cream (optional)
Put the dried apricots into a bowl and pour the hot tea over them. Leave to soak for at least 6 hours; overnight is ideal.
Drain off the liquid that remains into a small saucepan and boil until it has reduced by about half, then pour this light syrup back over the apricots. Leave to cool, then cover and refrigerate. Leave in the fridge for several hours at least, or up to 2 days. The apricots will become even more plump and juicy as they soak.
Beat the mascarpone with the icing sugar until smooth. If the mixture becomes unmanageably stiff, thin it down with a splash of cream or a trickle of the tea liquor.
Serve the apricots, chilled, in glass dishes, with the syrup trickled over and a dollop of sweet mascarpone on top.
PLUS ONE/SWAP You can use other dried fruit as well as, or instead of, the apricots – try prunes, sultanas or figs.