COOKING TIME: 35 MINS
SERVES: 1.5KG
INGREDIENTS
1.5kg apricots, firm-ripe rather than soft, washed, quartered and
stones removed (keep stones set aside)
1 cup water
2 tbs lemon juice
1.25kg sugar
PREPARATION
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
You’ll need;
** a baking dish to warm the sugar in the oven (until it’s hand-hot
temperature),
** a non-reactive pot (or a copper preserving pan if you have one),
** a nut cracker or meat mallet to smash about 10 stones,
** a good sized clean cloth/kitchen towel/muslin cloth to put the
stones in to smash (if using a meat mallet),
** sterilized jars to store your jam (see tips for sterilizing here)
** a candy/cooking thermometer to check if jam is set (see tips
below if you don’t have one)
VARIATIONS AND TIPS
** To test the setting stage of your jam without a thermometer, try
one of these two methods:
Method 1 – Plate Test
** Chill 2 or 3 small plates in your freezer.
** Remove jam from heat while doing test.
** Place 1 tsp of hot jam on the plate and place it back in the
freezer for 1 minute.
** Remove it and the surface of the jam should wrinkle when the
edge is pushed with your finger. If it doesn’t, continue cooking
your jam and repeat the test every few minutes.
Method 2 – Spoon or Sheet Test
** Dip a cool metal spoon into the boiling jelly mixture and lift the
spoon out of the steam so the syrup runs off the side. When
the mixture first starts to boil, the drops will be light and syrupy.
As the syrup continues to boil, the drops will become heavier
and will drop off the spoon two at a time. When the two drops
form together and “sheet” off the spoon, the jellying point has
been reached.
** The apricot kernels give a lovely almondy-type flavour and can
be eaten in the jam.
1. Wrap the stones in a cloth and crack them with the meat
mallet or nutcracker. Extract the kernels and set aside.
2. Place the fruit, water and lemon juice into your pot and bring
the mixture to the boil slowly.
3. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the fruit is tender. Simmer
for longer if you would like the fruit not to have chunks in it.
4. While you are cooking the fruit, place the sugar into the preheated
oven until it’s warm to touch. Time it so that you can remove
it when the fruit mixture is tender.
5. Add the warmed sugar and the reserved kernels to the fruit,
stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
6. Then boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting stage is
reached (see tips) or use your thermometer when the mixture
reaches 105°C.
7. Allow the jam to cool slightly and then ladle into your prepared
sterilized jars.
STORAGE
** Your apricot jam will keep for up to 6 months in well sterilized
jars, stored in a cool, dry place.
** It’s important to label and date the jars so have some labels and
a pen handy in the kitchen to mark the date made and jam type.
NOTE
Always look for organic ingredients to be sure you are avoiding
additives. Check the label carefully to ensure there are no nasties
in your ingredients.
