Apricot Jam ala Miche
This recipe is from Susan Herrrmann Loomis. Her comments are "Miche is categoric—she makes the jam in small batches, uses as little sugar as possible, and cooks fruit for as short a time as she can get away with. She also refuses to put apricot pits in her jam—a typical French custom—for in her mind, anything that interferes with the pure, fresh apricot flavor is blasphemy. She’s right, her apricot jam is out of this world."
I made it and added some lemon juice to brighten the flavor. I also put a pit in the jar, not fully reading the comments. We'll see how it all turns out, but, oh my, the jam is pretty delicious at the moment. I like that no water is needed.
3 pounds (1-1/2 kg) apricots, pitted and quartered
3 cups (600g) granulated sugar
3 pounds (1-1/2 kg) apricots, pitted and quartered
3 cups (600g) granulated sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
- Place the apricots and the sugar in a non-reactive pan or bowl, stir, cover and let macerate for at least 12 hours.
- Transfer the fruit and sugar to a large, heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat so the mixture is boiling merrily and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The temperature needs to reach 220F to set.
- Remove from the heat and ladle the jam into sterilized canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch headroom. Seal according to these instructions.
Yields about 10 cups (2-½ liters)
PECTIN NOTE: Because last year's jam did not set, I added pectin in 9/17. Pectin goes in at the beginning of the process and may involve lemon juice or calcium to activate. Need to research pectin with apricots. 7/18 Still figuring out the pectin process. One box was not enough for 20 lbs of apricots.
NOTES:
7/15: Made with #2 'Rival' Apricots from Sunnyside
6/16: Made with #2 'Goldbar" apricots from Wenatchee. Jam did not set.
9/17: Made with #3 apricots from fruit grower Jesus Guerro. 18 lbs made 14 pints. I think this year's batch will be the "Gracias" batch.
7/18: Made with apricots from Jesus. 20 lbs of apricots made 11+ ___ pints. Batch 1 did not set and 4 of the batch did not seal. Reboiled those plus remaining puree for Batch 2.
6/16: Made with #2 'Goldbar" apricots from Wenatchee. Jam did not set.
9/17: Made with #3 apricots from fruit grower Jesus Guerro. 18 lbs made 14 pints. I think this year's batch will be the "Gracias" batch.
7/18: Made with apricots from Jesus. 20 lbs of apricots made 11+ ___ pints. Batch 1 did not set and 4 of the batch did not seal. Reboiled those plus remaining puree for Batch 2.
