Apricot Orange Hamantashen Torte

Ingredients:

• Apricot Orange Filling:
• Water to cover
• 2 pounds California dried apricots,
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon orange extract or oil
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Hamantashen Torte Layers:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup shortening (or oil)
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, approximately
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 teaspoons Clabber Girl Baking Powder
• Vanilla Orange Glaze:
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1-3 tablespoons orange juice, as required
• Confectioners Sugar (for dusting)

Instructions:

For the filling: place apricots in a medium saucepan and add water just barely to cover, maybe a bit less. Simmer to soften the fruit, then drain, reserving liquid. Cool apricots then place in a food processor. Add lemon juice, orange extract or oil, cinnamon and vanilla. Process to make a pureed filling, adding additional apricot liquid if required. Chill while preparing pastry layers.

For Pastry Cake Layers: cream the butter, shortening and the sugar, then blend in eggs and extracts. Fold in flour, salt, baking powder to make a stiff, firm dough. Divide dough into 6 portions, wrap each and refrigerate 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Roll out each section of dough into a 9 inch circle (using parchment paper) or using a few 9 inch round cake pans at a time, roll out dough sections on a floured board to fit the bottom of a cake pan. Cake layers should be about 1/4 inch thick. Bake as many sections at a time as you can (considering cake pans and oven space) till just browned, about 6-8 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 F if layers brown too fast. Cool each layer well. Place one on the bottom of a nine inch spring form pan. Spread on some apricot filling. Repeat till all layers are used up. Chill overnight.

For the Orange Vanilla: whisk together butter and confectioner's sugar, vanilla and lemon juice to get a spreadable but thick glaze.

Unmold cake from spring form pan. Set on a serving platter. Coat sides with glaze and let set. Dust top with confectioners sugar.

Serves 14-20