As with many of the recipes I use, this one originally came from one of Elizabeth David's books.

The apricots should be slightly under ripe.

  Ingredients:

    2 - 3 apricots per person
    Vanilla sugar or caster sugar
    Brandy, Grand Marnier or Calvados

Halve the apricots and remove the stones. Place them cut side upwards in an oven-proof dish in a single layer.

Place a small teaspoonful of the sugar in the hole left by the stone in each apricot half. Add a similar quantity of the brandy.

Bake in the oven at 160°C (Gas 2 - 3). Cook until the apricots are soft. They will take about half an hour but the exact timing depends on the ripeness of the apricots.

Serve hot, warm or cold with cream or ice cream.

This recipe can be adapted for use with plums, peaches and even those pears which refuse to ripen.