Apricots Jolie Madame

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1½ cups water
• One

Prepare a sugar syrup with the sugar and water. Cut the vanilla bean open and scrape the seeds into the syrup. Cut the apricots into halves and remove their pits, but do not peel them; the skin will keep the fruit from falling apart during poaching. Immerse half of the apricot halves in the barely simmering syrup and poach gently until a large needle inserted in the center of an apricot half co