If you wish to add a subtle floral note to the jam, I suggest lavender. Use the lavender in your backyard. Just make sure it is not sprayed with pesticides.
French apricot vanilla & lavender jam
My advice: If you wish to add lavender, place a one or two stems in a tea ball and put it in the jam in the second half of your cooking. Add only the right amount of stems, you just need a delicate and flagrant taste. For the vanilla, I also use vanilla paste from Mauritius. I usually use one TBS for 1 kg of fruits. It is so divine. It is known that the almond inside the apricot stone contains some cyanide. It is not entirely false. However the amount contained in something as small as an apricot almond is only very tiny. Personally, I have often used the almonds found in the apricot stones, only I discard those that are bitter.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of ripe apricots, pits removed and cut into 4
- 500 to 600 g of brown sugar
- Juice of 1/2 a lemon
- apple peels
- Ingredients partially or added all together :
- a vanilla pod sliced in 2 lengthwise
- a small handful of shelled almonds unless you use the stones from your apricots
- 1 or 2 lavender stems
Directions
- Step 1 Before starting, gather all the necessary utensils and advice.
- Step 2 Cut the apricots in 4. Break open the stones so you get the almonds out, and blanch them for 4 minutes in boiling water. Trim the blanched almonds when cooled. If this is too strenuous, if you don’t like doing this, or if the almonds taste too sour, you may use almonds from the supermarket. Throw a handful of those in water and let them sit a few hours. They will then be easy to trim before adding them to your jam.
- Step 3 Warm up the sugar and a little water in your pot. When the sugar gets golden after about 10 minutes, pour in the apricots, the lemon juice, the vanilla pod sliced in 2, the apple peels inserted in a large tea ball and check the time. Remove the foam on top with a skimmer and stir on a regular basis so the fruits don’t burn at the bottom of the pot. Pay attention as it burns quickly. Add the almonds after 10’. If you use lavender, place the stems in a tea ball and put in the pot when you add the almonds. Your jam should be ready after 20 minutes when you see that the jam covers the skimmer without running, however it shouldn’t be too thick either.
- Step 4 The jam is perfectly ready when the few drops you place on a plate in the fridge for 2’ are to your taste: not too runny, not too thick. When it suits you, start filling the sterilized jars in while maintaining the heat on very low. Put the lids on. When you are almost done filling in the jars, turn the stove off. All your jars should be turned upside down until entirely cool. Store in a dark cool and dry place. Your jam will be good for up to 18 months.
Good to know!
