Apricot Jam

When I day dream about my garden this is one of the things that features – I dream of filling buckets and tubs and bags of fruit from our (now tiny) fruit trees. For now I am very thankful to be gifted fresh fruit such as these perfect apricots from my neighbors tree. My thoughtful neighbor gave me these beauties just before Christmas. I was tempted to enjoy eating them fresh but I decided to make jam instead. I did sneak a taste of one fresh apricot….. Our jam stock, after the cool Winter months had depleted to nothing.

I made this same recipe last year. I like to add some blueberries to the apricots to give them a little extra sweetness. The berries also turn the jam a pretty pink hue.

Apricot Jam

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

This jam uses some of the finest fruits of Summer. The Blueberries sweeten the tartness of the apricots and add a pretty pink hue

Author: Kyrstie Barcak - A Fresh Legacy

Recipe type: Preserve

Serves: 1 liter

Ingredients

800 grams apricots
125 grams blueberries
200 grams pear - peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 vanilla pod - sliced in half length ways
500 mls water
500 grams of Jam Sugar

Instructions

Place a small dish into the freezer
Wash the apricots and slice in half.
Remove the stones from the apricots and set aside 5 or 6 of them to add to the jam
Chop the apricots into small pieces
Wash the blueberries and pat dry
Add all of the ingredients to a pan (including the stones that you set aside), except the sugar and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes
Add jars and lids to an oven set to 160 degrees for 15 minutes
Mash the fruit with a masher and then add the sugar, stirring until it dissolves
Continue to cook for 8-10 minutes on a medium high simmer
Monitor the jam while it is simmering to ensure that it does not bubble over the edge of the pot
After 8 minutes test for setting point by putting a teaspoon of the jam onto the dish that you placed in the freezer. After a few minutes if it wrinkles when you drag your finger across it the jam is ready.
If the jam is not set continue to simmer on medium high heat for another 3-4 minutes
Alternatively you can use a thermometer - setting point is 105 degrees Celsius
Remove the jars and lids from the oven and let the jam sit for a few minutes
Remove the stones prior to potting the jam, and the vanilla pod if desired.
Use a clean scoop and funnel to pot the jam into the jars
Seal the jars with the lids and set aside to cool
Store open jars in the refrigerator

Notes

If you do not have Jam Sugar (sugar with added pectin) you can use white sugar and a sachet of Jam Setter.
Pear may be replaced by lemon
Label and date jars
Store in a cool dry location and use within 4-6 months.
As with any food that is stored for a period of time complete a visual and smell check prior to using. If in doubt discard.

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The Preserves shelves in my pantry are beginning to look healthy again. This makes me feel happy and secure (weird I know). I get a little panicked when it is running low. I like to have a WIDE selection of condiments and jam on offer at all times. With very few exceptions, I make these myself from scratch from seasonal produce. I can not recall the last time we purchased jam from the shops.

We are now stocked with this Apricot Jam, Strawberry Jam, Onion and Chilli Chutney, Orange Marmalade plus a little Chilli Jam and Sweet Chilli Sauce are left from the last batches I made.

I feel like order is restored and breakfast is a happy occasion, especially when there is sourdough bread to accompany the jam 🙂

Now the tomatoes need to ripen so that I can restock the sauce and passata.

What do you make to have in stock in your pantry all year around?

Lizzy (Good Things) says:

January 14, 2014 at 4:46 pm

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful!

Kyrstie Barcak says:
January 15, 2014 at 5:03 pm

Thanks Lizzy, I can’t purchase jam anymore. It is so easy to make and we have such beautiful produce to use 🙂

e / dig in hobart says:

January 17, 2014 at 8:43 am

i shall have to share this recipe with my mum, she is the resident jam (pickle/chutney/relish/sauce/jelly) maker. the pears is an interesting addition. it’s wonderful to have home made staples like these. you can control the sweetness, and make sure the jam is chock-ful of real fruit. delicious.