Apricot Ring with Fluffy Apricot Dressing

Ingredients

Apricots

• 1/2 pound dried apricots
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup sugar

Ring

• 2 (3 ounce) boxes lemon jello
• 3 cups hot water
• 1 (16 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds

Dressing

• 1/2 (3 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1/2 cup apricot puree (set aside above)
• 1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 cup whipping cream (whip 1/2 of this stiff)
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Apricots: In saucepan, soak the first 2 ingredients for several hours. Add the sugar. Simmer together until very tender. Cool; mix in blender until fruit is a pulp. Set aside 1/2 cup puree for the dressing. There should be about 2 cups apricot puree remaining.
2. Ring: Prepare jello using water and the pineapple juice. Let cool. When it begins to congeal, add apricot puree, pineapple and almonds. Pour into a 2-quart salad mold. Let set in refrigerator.
3. Dressing: Beat cream cheese and apricot puree. Add 1/2 cup plain whipping cream and beat until smooth and fluffy. Add to the whipped cream which has been sweetened with the confectioners' sugar and flavored with the vanilla extract. If you like a thinner dressing, add more cream or 1 tablespoon sherry.
4. Serve dressing with the ring mold.