French Style Apricot and Lavender Jam
Brenda Litzke
1 kilo/2 lb 4 oz fresh ripe apricots
4 sprigs of dried lavender (1 teaspoon dried buds)
600g/1 lb 6 oz sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Let the apricots soak up the sugar and lavender before you cook the jam. This is very much the French way of preserving and it allows the sugar to draw out all the juice and flavour from the fruit. If you have time let the fruit, lavender and sugar sit in a bowl or pan overnight just covered with a clean tea towel.
Brenda Litzke
1 kilo/2 lb 4 oz fresh ripe apricots
4 sprigs of dried lavender (1 teaspoon dried buds)
600g/1 lb 6 oz sugar
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Let the apricots soak up the sugar and lavender before you cook the jam. This is very much the French way of preserving and it allows the sugar to draw out all the juice and flavour from the fruit. If you have time let the fruit, lavender and sugar sit in a bowl or pan overnight just covered with a clean tea towel.
- Make sure you have just used the tiny buds of the lavender and not the whole stalks. Do not be tempted to add more lavender as this delicate little flower packs a bit of a punch in the flavour department and a little goes a long way. Overdo it and you could end up with something too heavily fragranced and flavoured that smells more suitable for the bathroom than the kitchen table!
- Next day add the lemon zest and juice and slowly heat your fruit mixture
- The sugar will dissolve quite quickly as it has been soaking in the fruit juices overnight.
- Keep the jam on a moderate heat until the apricots are tender and then raise the temperature to a hard boil until you have reached the setting point. I just keep mine simmering till setting point is reached
- Remove pan from the heat and let it sit for a few minutes to settle before carefully spooning into prepared jars