Poached Apricots Recipe Uses Star Anise and Vanilla

A recipe for poached apricots calls for 200g granulated sugar, juice of 1 1/2 lemons, two broad strips of lemon zest, one large star anise, one vanilla pod, and 750g apricots that have been halved and stoned. The instructions begin by placing the sugar, juice of one lemon, zest, star anise, and 600ml water into a saucepan large enough to hold the fruit in a single layer.

The vanilla pod is slit, its seeds scraped into the pan, and the pod added before the mixture is heated gently to dissolve the sugar.

The syrup simmers for four minutes and is then removed from the heat to allow the vanilla and star anise to infuse for 30 minutes. After reheating, the apricots are added and poached gently until just tender, which may take as little as two minutes depending on size and ripeness.

The apricots are removed with a slotted spoon as they become tender and are tested with the tip of a sharp knife. They are laid in a single layer in a broad, flat container to cool.

The lemon zest is discarded while the vanilla pod may be reserved for reuse. The star anise is left in or removed according to taste preference. The poaching liquor is returned to the heat and boiled until reduced to about 300ml. The reduced liquor is left to cool completely, after which the remaining half-lemon juice is added gradually if needed to balance sweetness.

The apricots are returned to the liquid and chilled before serving with crème fraîche and almond cake, langues de chat, shortbread, or biscotti.