Apricot and Vanilla Jam (Low Sugar)

GF DF NF V

Yields 1.2 to 1.5 kg of jam

Central Otago is one of the main stone fruit growing regions of New Zealand. And it also happens to be not too far from where we live. So last year, and again this year, we took a trip there to stock up on great quantities of deliciousness in the form of peaches, nectarines, apricots and plums. This jam recipe, which I came up with to use some of the many apricots we bought, has been a great success with my family. I have not mastered canning and this recipe doesn’t contain much sugar, so I’m not sure if it is even suitable for canning – I keep a jar for everyday use in the fridge after making it (if it lasts that long) and freeze the rest for later use. If you know what you’re doing with canning and think this would work for canning, I’d love to hear how it goes for you!

There are two versions of this recipe. The first time I made this jam, I did not have lemon juice, which is often added to apricot jam to increase the pectin content and help the jam set. So, I used apple as a source of pectin instead. I have subsequently made the jam with lemon juice as well. The version with apple produces more jam overall (about 1.5 kgs) and is slightly sweeter than the version with lemon juice (which produces about 1.2 kgs of jam); however, I do like the extra tang from the lemon. This jam does not have much added sugar, so feel free to increase the sugar content to your preferences. I didn’t peel my apricots before using but did ensure that they were thoroughly washed and inspected for blemishes before I started preparing them. I have listed the ingredients for each recipe below, followed by the method which is the same for either set of ingredients.

Ingredients for Apricot and Vanilla Jam with Apple

150 grams of cored, grated apple with skin on

1850 grams of pitted, roughly chopped apricots (weigh after pitting the apricots)

300 grams of white sugar

120 mls of room temperature water

1 tablespoon of vanilla essence

Ingredients for Apricot and Vanilla Jam with Lemon Juice

2 kgs of pitted, roughly chopped apricots (weigh after pitting the apricots)

Juice of 2 small lemons or 1 large lemon

300 grams of white sugar

60 mls of room temperature water

1 tablespoon of vanilla essence

How to make Apricot and Vanilla Jam

1. Place all the ingredients for whichever version of the jam you are making, except the vanilla essence, together in a large pot with a thick base.

2. Place a lid on the pot and put it over a high heat on the stove.

3. Place a small plate in the freezer – this is to test whether the jam has set later.

4. Once the contents of the pot reach boiling point, reduce the heat to a medium-low heat and remove the lid from the pot.

5. Maintaining a medium-low heat and keeping the lid off the pot, cook the ingredients in the pot, stirring regularly to prevent sticking, particularly as the jam starts to thicken and get to setting point. This took at least 20 to 30 minutes for me.

6. Once the jam is very thick, remove the plate from the freezer and dollop a spoonful of jam onto the plate. Carefully push the dollop of jam with your finger – if it wrinkles and you can make a clean line down to the plate through the middle of the dollop of jam, the jam is ready. If the jam has not yet reached this point, continue to cook the jam, stirring frequently, until it reaches this point. You will need to put a new plate into the freezer or clean the plate and put it back into the freezer each time you test the jam before it is ready, so that you have a cold plate ready for the next test.

7. Once the jam is ready, remove the pot from the heat and pour the jam into a heat-proof bowl or container to cool to room temperature. Once cool, divide the jam into jars (or freezer bags if storing extra in the freezer) and keep in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in suitable portions to defrost and use at a later time.

8. Enjoy!