Apricot and vanilla jam
Make the most of apricots while they are in abundance by turning them into a delicious jam with a hint of vanilla. In the cooler months, try it swirled though vanilla ice cream for an instant reminder of summer.
Makes: 4-5 medium jars
Ingredients:
- 1 lemon (not the juicy Meyer variety)
- 1.1kg apricots, stones removed, fresh finely chopped
- 4 cups sugar
- 10g butter
- 2 vanilla pods, seeds removed (or 2 tablespoons vanilla paste)
Method:
- Use a vegetable peeler to remove the rind from the lemon. Juice the lemon, reserving the seeds and juice. Wrap the rind and seeds in a muslin bag.
- Put 1⁄2 cup water, the apricots, lemon juice and muslin bag in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, you can mash the apricots at this stage to make the jam smoother.
- Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, or until the apricots are very so . Add the sugar and stir, without boiling, until dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 15 minutes (stir occasionally to ensure the jam doesn’t catch on the bottom), then test for setting point. If it’s not set, boil for another 5 minutes and test again.
- Remove from the heat, discard the muslin bag and stir in the butter, vanilla pods and seeds. Allow to stand for 15 minutes before removing the pods and spooning into hot, sterilised jars. Seal immediately.
- Allow the jars to cool before labelling and dating, then store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate the jam once open.
Note: If you want to speed up the jam-making process, use jam-setting sugar. It includes pectin so there’s no need to add any lemon. Ensure you closely follow the instructions on the packet as there’s less room for error with jam-setting sugar.
Variations: Swap the apricots for peaches, nectarines or plums. Swap the vanilla for spices such as cinnamon or cardamom, or even dried rose petals or lavender.
Written by Alice Arundell. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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