Our simple Apricot Jam recipe!

[Saviolo]

So, this week our recipe is for a simple and quick apricot jam! Here in Southern Ontario, we have a great climate for lots of different stone fruits, so around this time of every year we've swimming in amazing peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots.

This is just a very basic and simple recipe, just apricots and sugar. Also, we cut the sugar way back from lots of other jam recipes (which sometimes ends up making it runnier, because sugar is necessary for pectin development) because we like the flavour and the tartness of the apricots. Too much sugar and it's just sweet and insipid. These apricots were very ripe, so the final jam still didn't have a whole lot of tartness, but was nicely full flavoured. You can certainly add flavours to this like clove or cinnamon (just boil them with the jam, and depending on the intensity you want, you can fish them out before it hits the jar, or leave it in!).

My hubby made this recipe when he had his restaurant. He served it on pancakes while we had it. Almost every time someone had it on the pancakes they would come and ask where we got it, and if it was for sale. And it was! He sold jars of it. We actually ran out of it really fast.

[blaze]

1. This looks pretty tasty

and I like that it's not too sweet.

Would you make any adjustments if using peaches?

[Saviolo]

2. We've not actually made this recipe with peaches

We normally preserve peach slices in syrup instead of making jam out of them!

If you wanted to make peaches into jam, though, there are a couple of things you'd do differently. If you're going to be using big pieces, you may want to remove the skins, because they're so fuzzy. If you're going to keep the pieces very small, leave them on, because they definitely add to the flavour.

Also, peaches have a lot more liquid than apricots, so you're going to have to reduce your jam for longer on the stove in order to get the right consistency. Just keep a close eye on it, and make sure you stir frequently to avoid scorching the jam on the bottom of your pan or pot!

[dem in texas]

3. With Peaches, Remove the skins!

I used to live in Western Tennessee where beautiful peaches grow (the old type, Ranger, was my fav). I made jars and jars of peach preserves and always, always removed the skin. They do not add to the flavor, I just peeled and chopped a big peach this morning to put in our breakfast yogurt and the skin has no taste or smell, just the fuzz. There is a thing in food called "mouth" that is how food feels in your mouth and I can't imagine how the "mouth" would be with skins in the jam or preserves. Also, peach jam needs a little lemon juice in it. One time I was making some and I found I was out of lemons and used some grapefruit juice instead. It was very tasty.

When I made apricot jam (and most jam and jellies), prefer just the simmer with sugar and water method and keep the Certo out as it calls for more sugar and makes the jam too sweet , Although Certo makes it easier to make jams and jellies and works well on really sour fruit. I used it when I made crab apple jelly.

Apricot trees are hit and miss as far as a crop goes in the South, you need a lot of below freezing days to get a good apricot crop. That said, when they do make, you have a bumper crop. One year, we had so many, I made jam, cobblers, stewed them, froze them and finally the kids started complaining we were eating apricots too often.

One thing about making jellies and jams, one of the most wonderful smells in world of cooking is the smell of Concord grapes being cooked down to make Jelly.

[japple]

4. I agree, dem, that making jams and jellies using the slow simmer is

preferable. The flavors really become concentrated and the sweetness is intensified. I have mostly been preserving figs lately and think that the way they fill up the whole house with a wonderful sweet aroma is heavenly.

My stepdaughter in the Pacific Northwest has been making lots of mixed berry jams lately, even adding spices like coriander. I hope to have a sample sometime around Christmas. We always exchange jams for the holidays.

Must admit that there is nothing I like better than making jam, jelly, pickles and canning tomatoes. Life is good.

[locks]

5. Sounds delicious

I like apricots so much I usually cook them with some pineapple and spread them on toast.

[dem in texas]

6. yes, apricots and pineapple are best friends

I make coffee kringle and the recipe calls for jam in the middle. I like to mix apricot and pineapple preserves together for the filling.