Apple Kuchen

6 ounces dried apricots ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons water 2 large Granny Smith or Golden Delicious Apples, peeled, cored and halved juice of ½ lemon 1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour ⅓ cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted 1 teaspoon baking powder ⅛ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup granulated sugar 1 large egg 1-½ teaspoons vanilla ¼ teaspoon almond extract ⅓ cup low-fat sour cream 1-½ teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1-½ tablespoons melted butter

Calories 312 (34% from fat) carb. 46g pro. 6g fat 12g sat. fat 4g chol. 43mg sod. 95mg calc. 69mg fiber 8g

Bring the water to the boil in a saucepan or in the microwave. Add the apricots, return to the boil, then let sit until cool, about 20 to 30 minutes. Insert the metal blade. Purée the apricots and their cooking liquid until smooth, 4 to 5 minutes, stop the machine and scrape the work bowl 2 or 3 times. Remove and reserve. * Preheat the oven to 350º F. Spray a 7x-10-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Insert the slicing disc. Arrange the apples in the feed tube so that the bottom of the apple is sitting on the blade. Use medium pressure to slice. Toss the sliced apples gently with the lemon juice. Set aside. Pulse the flour, almonds, baking powder and salt until the nuts are roughly chopped, 10 to 12 times. Remove and reserve. Cream the butter, sugar, 3 tablespoons of the apricot purée, the vanilla, and almond extracts until smooth, 45 seconds. Add eggs and sour cream, process 30 seconds. Scrape the work bowl, process 15 seconds longer. Add the reserved dry ingredients, pulse just to incorporate, 10 to 12 times. Do not overprocess. The batter will be thick. Spread the batter evenly in the two prepared baking pans. Arrange the apples over the batter, 3 rows of 12 overlapping apple slices in each pan (for a nice effect, arrange the middle row in the opposite direction). Combine the cinnamon and sugar, sprinkle evenly over the apples. Drizzle with the melted butter. Bake in the preheated 350º oven to 45 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the pan, and the sides of the cake pull away from the pan. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes before serving. May be made a day ahead. Remove from the pans when completely cool and wrap well. May also be frozen.