Makes 40
Another of the traditional New Year's Eve candies.
12 oz. dried apricot halves
1/4 cup whipping cream
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate
zest from 1/2 orange
Sort through the apricot halves and selct 80 that are soft and moist (look for the ones that have a strong orange color). Push open any that are closed. Line a cookie sheet or tray with parchment and lay out the apricots in rows, skin side down.
To make a ganache, bring the cream to a boil in a very small saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat. Remove from the heat and add 3 ounces of chocolate and the orange zest. Stir with a spoon until smooth and glossy. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
The ganache is "set up" when it is no longer warm and will hold a crease. Put it into a pastry bag with a #4 plain tip. Pipe a dollop of ganache onto 40 of the apricot halves. Top each with another half, skin side up, to form a sandwich. Match sizes and shapes as much as possible. Chill until firm.
Remove the apricot sandwiches from the refrigerator and let them sit for 10 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, temper the remaining chocolate*. Move the apricots very close together on the tray. Dip the three middle fingers of one hand into the tempered chocolate, then wave your hand back and forth over the apricots, spraying them with lines of chocolate. Keep at room temperature until ready to use.
*To temper chocolate: Use a double-boiler or a metal bowl set snugly on top of a saucepan of water. Chop or grate the chocolate. Set about a quarter of the chocolate aside. Melt the rest over boiled (not boiling) water. Stir frequently until the chocolate comes to about 100 deg. Replace the boiled water with cool water and allow the chocolate to cool, stirring frequently. Gradually stir in the chocolate you set aside; it will act as a seed to establish the right crystallization pattern. Continue stirring until the chocolate drops to 85 to 86 deg. and is the consistency of thick frosting. Replace the water with warm water and bring the chocolate up to a working temp. of 88-89. Keep the chocolate between 83 and 90 deg. all the time you are working with it.