Place apricots and water in a 2 1/2-quart souffle dish with a tight lid. Cook, covered, at 100 percent power in a high-power microwave oven for 12 minutes, stirring once.
Remove from oven. Transfer apricots and liquid to a food processor. Process until smooth, stopping once to scrape sides of bowl. Add 3 cups of the sugar in two batches; process until smooth after each addition, stopping to scrape sides and stir sugar down into the puree.
Scrape mixture back into souffle dish. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring well three times.
Remove from oven. Oil a 10 1/2-by-15 1/2-inch jellyroll pan. Scrape mixture into pan and smooth with a spatula. Refrigerate until firm enough to cut, 3 hours or overnight.
Place remaining sugar in a small bowl. Rinse a knife with hot water. Cut candy into 3/4-inch squares, rinsing the knife from time to time as you lift squares from pan. Coat each square on all sides in the sugar. As they are coated, place on a cake rack. Let stand overnight, until dry.
Dining and Cooking