Apricot Jam

This is my third batch of apricot jam and I just had to get out my camera and record the goodness. I wish I had smell-a-vision-blog so you could smell the sweet fruity air in my kitchen. I got this recipe from Jens Alfke's blog. It was exactly what I was looking for, one that didn't use a boat-load of sugar and didn't require pectin (which goes for $1.99+ at my local market). I loved his wit in writing.

The recipe is easy (the proportions are):
1 cup apricots
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice



You mix this together and let it sit for 2 hours (I usually end up getting distracted and it sits longer, but no harm done).

This is what the yummy goo looks like after sitting.








So now we turn on the heat and start cooking... and stirring. Bring it to a boil. It will start to foam. You need to skim off the foam.
(This is an important step here. On the first batch, I started skimming off the foam and then when it stopped foaming I added it back in. Well, that isn't what the recipe said and now I know why. That batch is not as jelled as I would like it to be.)
A little trick here, if you add 1/2 tsp butter it will reduce the foaming drastically. Jens says to save this foam for syrup. Joanie says mix about 1/3 c syrup and 2 tsp butter, heat and dip your pancakes in... yummy!! Pancakes are finger food aren't they?






OK back the jam-truck up a minute. When the jam starts to boil, set your timer for 25 minutes. That is how long you will need to cook the jam. Remember, no pectin, more cooking. I find that if I stir it every couple of minutes I do fine, but if you want to stir more than that have at it!








Now sing the song..."Just keep cooking, cooking, cooking, ah-ha-ha!"

Pretty soon your timer will buzz and your jam should be reduced almost by half. (See the line on the inside of the pan?)









This is my favorite part (but I'm going to make you go over to Jens blog and read how to get your jars ready and about the apricot kernels and rings and all that stuff). Ladle the hot jam into clean jars. I use a wide mouth funnel that used to be my mom's. She was the one who started me on all of this 36 year ago. If you slopped any jam on the rim of the jar, wipe it off (the funnel prevents that mess and speaking of mess, you notice that I have the jar in a flat bowl and the funnel is right up next to the pan to reduce clean up later... always thinking!) Place your lids on the jars, tighten and then invert the jars. Jens says this sterilizes the lids. I like his thinking.












Well, maybe this really is my favorite part... eating the jam, said the Little Red Hen.













Now this is the finished product. Ready to be stored safely in the basement (I just love having a basement!!!) It will be a lovely treat.










I've also put up 14 quarts of apricots. Not always a big favorite at my house.















And I dried a bunch. They just seem more tasty and tempting this way than in the jar.
Notice the fuzzy whiteness?... yeah, that isn't mold, but apricot skin fuzz. Tasty!






(And can I just say one more tiny thing? I sure wish that Blogger was wysiwyg!! I go back and forth a dozen times with a post like this to get everything just where I want it. There has to be an easier way!!)