Makes ~4 jars
950g apricots*
950g sugar
Juice of half a lemon
225ml water
knob of butter
– Quarter the apricots and remove the stones.
– Crack the apricot stones with a mallet and a lot of strength and take out the kernels. Drop these into a cup of boiling water.
– After a minute take the kernels out and remove the brown skin.
– Put the apricots, kernels, lemon juice and water in a very large pan. Simmer for 15 minutes until the fruit is soft and the contents are well reduced.
– Take the pan off the head and add the sugar, stiring until it is dissolved.
– Add the butter and return to the heat boiling rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached** make sure you keep stiring it from time to time or it may burn.
– Remove any scum with a slotted spoon and then pour into pots.***
* This recipe can be adapted with a bit of mathematics to any quantity of apricots.
** To test this first hold up the spoon you are stirring the mixture with and see how it drips. When the drips get slow and it looks more viscous instead of rapid and runny test a small bit of the jam on a small plate that you have put in the freezer. If you push this jam across the plate with your finger and it wrinkles up ahead of your finger then it has reached setting point.
*** To sterilise the pots before use wash them in hot soapy water and rinse them thoroughly. Then put in the oven on a low heat to dry. Bring out of the oven fill and put the lid on while it’s still hot. This forms a seal and means it will remain sterile.
Anna in the kitchen 