Spiced Rice Pudding

                                         Spiced Rice Pudding

1 handful dried apricots
3 tblsp. granulated sugar
3/4 cup sherry
3/4 cup medium short grain rice
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick
1 pinch nutmeg
2 tblsp. granulated sugar
10 tblsp. water
1 tsp. cocoa powder
4 oz. dark chocolate broken in pieces

Directions:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Put apricots in pan with some sugar and sherry and simmer gently over low heat 10 minutes, then mix in food processor. Put rice ,milk, cream and rest of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg into a deep pot and place on burner. Stir well and bring to subtle boil. Meanwhile spread out pressed apricots on bottom of rice pudding dish. As soon as milk and rice come to boil.remove cinnamon stick and spoon mix over apricots. Bake in oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until rice is cooked. When done, serve warm or cold.