Apricot Chocolate Ring

A schedule change suddenly bumped up my Breakfast Club obligation by a week.  As I mused what to bake, a coworker suggested one of their favorites:  Apricot Chocolate Ring.

My cousin gave me Chocolate (Practical Cooking) for Christmas several years ago.  It's been a great cookbook so far (although I've only done a few recipes -- I need to start trying more of them!).  All of my friends love the ginger chocolate clusters we make for Easter.  The Apricot Chocolate Ring looked impressive, so I decided to try making it.

It was an instant hit at work and has become one of my Breakfast Club staples.  The dough is a biscuity/sconey consistency and flavor.  Most of the sweetness comes from the swirls of chocolate and chopped up apricot.  Yum.  It goes great with a cup of coffee or tea.  My co-workers agree (because this ring disappeared before the end of the day).

Apricot & Chocolate Ring
(Adapted from Chocolate (Practical Cooking))

1/3 cup diced butter
4 cups flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp sugar
2 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup milk

2 tbsp butter, melted
5.5 oz dried apricots, chopped (it's about 24 apricots)
2/3 cup chocolate chips (a little more never hurts)

Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.  Stir in sugar, eggs, milk to form a soft dough.  Roll out dough to form a 14" square.  Brush the melted butter over the surface of the dough.  Sprinkle apricot bits and chocolate chips over the dough within one inch of the top and bottom.

Roll up the dough tightly and cut into 1" slices.  Stand the slices in a ring around the edge of a 10" springform pan (or a 10" cake pan lined with parchment paper).

Bake in a 350F oven for 30 minutes or until cooked and golden.  Let cool in the pan for about 15 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool.