Missing apricot recipe

The Bee featured a story on apricots, which included a recipe for a strudel or tart made with apricots, nuts and phyllo dough. I thought I saved the recipe, but didn't. Does anyone have this recipe?

– Nicky Slobodnjak, Elk Grove

Want that pepper jelly

I love the pepper jelly served with the flautas at Chevy's restaurant and would like to be able to make it at home. I have tried a few pepper jellies sold in jars at the grocery store, but there is no comparison. Thanks.

– Cathy Bramley, Modesto

Broccoli salad dressing

I would like to have the recipe for the wonderful dressing served on the broccoli salad that was served at the now-closed David Berkeley's in the Pavilions shopping center in Sacramento.

I have tried several other dressings and none come close to this one. Thanks for any help.

– Peggy Rackelmann, Sacramento

French custard filling

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Makes enough filling for 6 to 8 cream puffs

It sounds like Pearl Taylor of Oakdale plans to make pastries. She was looking for bakery icing recipes for maple and chocolate bars, and recipes for custard and lemon fillings for cream puffs.

Dee Birch of Foresthill shares this recipe, which makes a filling that's a cross between whipped cream and a thick custard.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups milk

1 slightly beaten egg yolk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

INSTRUCTIONS

In a saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium-high heat and stir until mixture thickens and boils. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes longer. Stir a little of the hot mixture into the egg yolk. Return the entire mixture to the saucepan. Cook and stir until it just boils. Add vanilla. Cool completely. Beat until smooth, and fold in whipped cream.

Per cream puff, filling only, based on 6 cream puffs: 170 cal.; 3 g pro.; 17 g carb.; 10 g fat (6 sat., 3 monounsat., 1 polyunsat.); 71 mg chol.; 136 mg sod.; 0 g fiber; 53 percent calories from fat.

Kory's carrot cake

Prep time: 1 hour (plus overnight chill time for cake) Cook time: 1 hour Serves 20

Darlene Adams of Modesto was hoping someone had a good recipe for carrot cake.

We received an overwhelming response to Adams' request and will be featuring many of your recipes in upcoming weeks.

This recipe comes from Margo Waters of Sacramento. It was created by Kory Rollison, a firefighter captain in Brighton, Mich., who is also a pastry chef. Rollison is well-known for his beautiful and delicious wedding cakes.

INGREDIENTS

Cake

4 large eggs

1 1/3 cups vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups sugar

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

20 ounces carrots, finely chopped (about 3 1/4 cups)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup crushed pineapple, well-drained

White chocolate cream cheese icing

1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, room temperature

2 cups white chocolate chips, melted

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Chopped walnuts, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Leave sides of pan dry – no cooking spray needed.

Combine eggs and oil in a large mixing bowl, beat 2 minutes with a mixer on medium speed. Add 1 cup sugar and continue mixing 2 minutes. Add remaining sugar and mix 3 to 4 minutes.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Add to egg mixture, beating on low speed until blended, about 1 minute. Add carrots, walnuts and pineapple, mix until well combined. Divide batter evenly among pans.

Bake 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool to room temperature on a wire rack. Run a knife around edge of cakes and remove from pans. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

For icing: Place cream cheese in mixing bowl; beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add melted chocolate a little at a time, continuing to beat at medium speed. Add butter a little at a time. Scrape down sides of bowl; add lemon zest and beat until combined.

Remove cakes from refrigerator. Ice top of one layer. Place second layer on top; ice top. Place third layer on top; ice top and sides of cake. Press chopped walnuts into sides of cake.

Per serving: 588 cal.; 7 g pro.; 48 g carb.; 43 g fat (17 sat., 12 monounsat., 12 polyunsat., 2 other); 97 mg chol.; 392 mg sod.; 1 g fiber; 35 g sugar; 64 percent calories from fat.

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