Summer is finally here, and I could not be more excited. All year, I’ve looked forward to greeting tomatoes, berries and stone fruits, especially to make preserves, which I give to friends and family during the winter holiday season.
One of my favorite jams to make is an apricot and rosemary jam — the perfect accompaniment for soft goat cheese and crackers on a charcuterie board. In general, apricots are an underrated fruit in my opinion. Apricots make some of the best desserts, a few of them being apricot bars, apricot ice cream or apricot jam linzer cookies.
One easy yet elevated dessert is poaching stone fruits and serving them with vanilla ice cream. For summer entertaining this year, try my version: Poached Apricots with Pistachio Ricotta. The cold Pistachio Ricotta serves as a very tasty and creamy base for the fruit.
Varieties of Apricots
Apricots come in multiple varieties in California. The most common ones at the grocery store or the farmers markets are Blenheim. It’s a freestone variety, meaning the flesh is not attached to the pit, with bright orange flesh and orange with sunset hues on the skin. Apricot season is short lived — from the end of May to the middle of July — so take advantage while they are in season.
How to poach any of the stone fruits
To poach any of the summer stone fruit, simply submerge it in a simmering, sweetened liquid for a short while. This both imparts flavor and tenderizes it.
Ingredients for Poached Apricots with Pistachio Ricotta
The ingredients for the Poached Apricots with Pistachio Ricotta are:
- Poached Apricots
- Granulated sugar
- Green cardamom pods
- Saffron
- Rose water
- Ripe apricots
- Pistachio Ricotta
- Whole milk ricotta
- Raw pistachios
- Freshly ground cardamom
- Granulated sugar
- Heavy cream
- Vanilla extract
- Sesame Brittle
- Granulated sugar
- Toasted white sesame seeds
- Garnish
- Raw pistachios
- Edible rose petals
How do I make my Poached Apricots with Pistachio Ricotta
I Indianize this dessert by poaching the apricots in sugar water with bits of saffron and floral, lightly crushed cardamom pods. The apricots get a beautiful, deeper orange hue from the saffron, with a sweet cardamom aroma. The poached apricots need to cool completely in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Different uses of the poaching liquid – Liquid gold!!
Don’t throw away the poaching liquid. I like to cook it for a few more minutes, thickening it to a syrup consistency. You can use it as a delicious simple syrup for making cocktails, brushing on cakes before applying frosting or tossing into a fresh fruit salad.
The Pistachio Ricotta starts off with draining the water from the ricotta to get a thicker consistency. I use a sieve lined with a paper towel and place the ricotta in it for a bit until the water is released. I mix the ricotta with ground pistachios, ground cardamom, sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract, and whip it by hand to make a very delicious dessert base.
If you want a smoother texture, pulse it in a food processor, but I personally prefer a slight graininess. Place the Pistachio Ricotta in the fridge until you’re ready to serve; it should be chilled.
Sesame brittle!
To take this dessert up a notch, I make a quick sesame brittle for a crunchy topping. Toast sesame seeds in a pan for 3-4 minutes until you get a nutty fragrance. Cool them, and then caramelize sugar in a saucepan — basically cook the sugar until it turns light amber.
Mix in the cooled sesame quickly and pour the mixture onto a parchment-lined sheet pan to cool completely. If you’d rather simplify your dessert, you could skip the sesame brittle; consider sprinkling some toasted chopped pistachios instead for that crunch factor.
Assembly
Then it’s time to assemble: Swirl the ricotta onto a dessert plate and place poached apricots on top. Finish it with sesame brittle, some ground pistachios and rose petals for a lovely touch. This plated dessert is elegant, easy and ideal for your next summer soirée.
Can I poach the apricots in advance?
Yes the apricots can be poached a day in advance and stored in a container in the fridge until ready to use.
What do I do with the poaching liquid?
Don’t throw away the poaching liquid. I like to cook it for a few more minutes, thickening it to a syrup consistency. You can use it as a delicious simple syrup for making cocktails, brushing on cakes before applying frosting or tossing into a fresh fruit salad.
Can I use white or black sesame for the brittle?
Use white or black or a combination of both for the sesame brittle.
Can I make the pistachio ricotta in advance?
Yes, the pistachio ricotta can be made a day in advance and stored in a container in the fridge until ready to use.
What kind of food processor can I use if I want a smooth whipped ricotta?
I would recommend using this food processor. I have the Cuisinart food processor from 20 years ago and it still works wonderful.
Other fun summer treats on my blog are:
- Eggless Apricot and Ginger Cheesecake Bars
- Apricot and Cardamom Pistachio Cake
- Peach and Saffron Cake
- Nectarine, Star Anise and Pistachio Crumb Bars
If you make this recipe, please tag #thejamlab on Instagram and/or leave a comment on this blog post.
XO
Amisha
** First published for S.F.Chronicle on June 20, 2025**
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Poached Apricots with Whipped Pistachio Ricotta
Ingredients
Poached Apricots
- 1 1/4 cups water
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 2 pinches saffron
- 1/4 teaspoon rose water
- 4 just ripe apricots, cut in half, pit removed
Pistachio Ricotta
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta
- 1/3 cup raw pistachios, finely ground in a food processor
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3–4 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sesame Brittle (optional)
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup toasted white sesame seeds
Garnish
- 1 tablespoon raw pistachios, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon edible rose petals, optional
Get Recipe Ingredients
Poached Apricots
- In a medium skillet on medium-high heat, add water and sugar. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then add the cardamom pods, saffron and rose water. Once the water comes to a boil, in about 2-3 minutes, add the apricots face down. Poach the apricots for about 4 minutes.
- Turn the apricots over using a spoon, so the inside faces up. Poach the apricots for about 4 more minutes. The apricots will be just soft enough. Remove onto a plate, along with a few spoonfuls of the syrup, and place in the fridge to cool completely for about an hour.
- If you’d like to save the syrup, boil the liquid for 3 more minutes. Cool completely. The syrup can be stored in a glass jar in the fridge.
Pistachio Ricotta
- Place the ricotta in a sieve lined with a paper towel to drain out the excess water, for about 30 minutes.
- Once the water is drained, add the ricotta in a medium bowl, along with the pistachios, cardamom, sugar, heavy cream and vanilla extract, and whisk until well combined. If you want a smoother texture, you can pulse it in the food processor (do not overmix!).
- Place in the fridge until ready to serve.
Sesame Brittle
- Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, on medium heat, add the sugar. It will start melting at the edges in about 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, stir occasionally for about 2 more minutes, as the sugar melts completely and turns golden amber in color. Switch off the stove.
- Add the sesame seeds to the melted sugar immediately and stir quickly to combine well.
- Pour the mixture immediately onto the parchment paper. Cover with another piece of parchment paper and flatten with a rolling pin. Cool completely.
Assembly
- On 4 serving plates, evenly distribute the Pistachio Ricotta and spread it slightly to form small circles. Top each plate with 2 poached apricot halves and drizzle on a spoonful of the syrup.
- Garnish with the chopped pistachios and edible rose petals. Break the sesame brittle and add some on top of each plate. (You will have about half of the brittle leftover; store it in an airtight container on the counter.) Serve immediately.
Note: All the components can be made a day before serving
Notes
Can I poach the apricots in advance?
- Yes the apricots can be poached a day in advance and stored in a container in the fridge until ready to use.
What do I do with the poaching liquid?
- Don’t throw away the poaching liquid. I like to cook it for a few more minutes, thickening it to a syrup consistency. You can use it as a delicious simple syrup for making cocktails, brushing on cakes before applying frosting or tossing into a fresh fruit salad.
Can I use white or black sesame for the brittle?
- Use white or black or a combination of both for the sesame brittle.
Can I make the pistachio ricotta in advance?
- Yes, the pistachio ricotta can be made a day in advance and stored in a container in the fridge until ready to use.
What kind of food processor can I use if I want a smooth whipped ricotta?
- I would recommend using this food processor. I have the Cuisinart food processor from 20 years ago and it still works wonderful.
