Start by boiling water in a kettle. Once boiling, pour the water over the dried apricots and blanched almonds in a bowl. Let them soak for about 5 minutes until they soften and become plump. Drain well and set aside.

In a food processor, combine the soaked apricots and almonds. Blitz on high speed until the mixture forms a thick, sticky paste, which should take about 1-2 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even blending.

Once your mixture is ready, use your hands to grab small portions and roll them into 12 equal-sized balls, approximately 27g each. Place the formed balls onto a tray lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for about 10 minutes to help them firm up.

While the apricot balls chill, place dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt it using a microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, or use a bain-marie over simmering water.

Carefully dip each chilled apricot ball into the melted chocolate using a fork or a slotted spoon. Allow the excess chocolate to drip off gently back into the bowl.

Transfer the coated chocolate apricot balls back onto the parchment-lined tray. Optionally, place a small sliver of dried apricot on top of each ball before the chocolate sets.

Once all balls are coated and topped, leave them at room temperature until the chocolate hardens, around 30 minutes, or pop them in the fridge for quicker setting.

Your chocolate apricot balls are now ready to serve! Enjoy them immediately or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.