Tuxedo Chocolate Apricots

Have fun with this recipe and use many of your favorite dried California fruits for a variety of flavors.

Fruit Dessert • Serves 12+ • Prep Time: 5 min.

Ingredients

• 1 pound California dried apricots (if available, use dried apricots from Gonzales Orchards - I have found their apricots to be some of the best quality in the Bay Area)

Dark Chocolate Sauce:

• 7 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier (optional)

Preparation:

1. Coarsely chop the chocolate and place in a stainless steel bowl.
2. Heat the cream until scalding, pour over the chocolate.
3. Let sit 5 minutes before stirring.
4. Stir with a whisk until very smooth.
5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for the white chocolate sauce.
6. Using a tong or toothpick, take one apricot at a time, dip the upper right edge only into the dark chocolate and set onto the wax paper.  Allow the chocolate to set up and harden for 3 to 5 minutes.
7. Repeat step six, but this time, dip the upper left of the apricot into the white chocolate.  Allow time to set up. You may want to double dip the white chocolate as the first coating may be a bit transparent.