Apricot Cobbler with Custard Sauce

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

• 4  (6-ounce) packages dried apricots, cut in half
• 4  cups  water
• 2 1/2  cups  sugar
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 1/2  teaspoon  almond extract
• 2  tablespoons  almond liqueur (optional)
• 1  (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 2  tablespoons  sliced almonds
• Custard Sauce

Preparation

Combine apricots and water in a saucepan; let stand 8 hours.

Stir in 2 1/2 cups sugar; cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in extracts and, if desired, liqueur; cool.

Unfold 1 piecrust, and press out fold lines. Cut to fit into the bottom of a deep 2-quart baking dish, reserving excess pastry.

Spoon half of apricot mixture into dish; top with reserved pastry.

Bake at 475° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Spoon remaining apricot mixture over pastry; cool.

Unfold remaining piecrust; roll to 1/8-inch thickness, and cut into 1-inch strips. Arrange in a lattice design over apricot mixture.

Bake at 475° for 15 minutes; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar and almonds, and bake 2 to 3 more minutes. Serve warm with Custard Sauce.