Simple and Delicious Apricot Jam

Apricot preserves are one of my very favorite kinds of preserves or jam to use for almost anything. They’re great with peanut butter, or spicy biscuits, or even cheesecake. The same procedure we employ in this recipe may also be used with many other kinds of fruit, such as strawberries, plums, peaches, etc. Certain fruit requires some different handling, and so we may address grape and quince jelly (which is strained after boiling) in a separate recipe.

Different fruits are higher than others in concentration of a particular plant starch called pectin. (USDA article here.) Apples and yellow plums, for instance, are very high in pectin while strawberries, cherries, apricots and other berry fruits do not contain as much. Pectin helps to make the finished jam jelly-like – more pectin means a stiffer jam, and with enough pectin the finished product will hold its shape like gelatin. The proper performance of pectin generally depends on correct levels of sugar and acid in order to allow the pectin to gel. The chemistry of this is complex and a deep understanding of it is not necessary for making good jam. A few particular facts are useful to know, however.

Pectin breaks down as it boils, so excessive boiling should be avoided. A wide pan with a relatively thin layer of boiling jam is preferrable, in order to achieve the desired reduction of the juices without denaturing too much of the pectin. The sugar concentration is typically elevated in jelly and jam recipes to ensure pectin performance; generally a large amount of sugar is used to encourage better results. However, we find that the resulting jam is usually extremely sweet, and since we enjoy our jams less sweet and more tart, we advisedly use less than the usually-recommended amount of sugar and take the risk that the pectin won’t set, leaving us with a rather loose, runny preserves which nevertheless taste excellent and have the benefit of containing less sugar.

When making jam, it is a good idea to have some lemon juice on hand; the acid helps to extract more pectin from the flesh of the fruit. Acidity becomes more important when canning is the ultimate goal for the jam: when preserving in jars, high acidity is a good way to discourage bacterial proliferation. It is also a good tool for adjusting the tartness of the finished product, even if the jam won’t be canned into sealed jars.

To test the doneness of the jam, place a saucer into the refrigerator to get cold as the jam is getting started, and then use it
toward the end by placing a small amount of jam on the plate and watching it run down the cold plate, which will chill the jam. It will be easy to tell when your jam has reached the desired consistency. If you find the jam needs more time to cook, simply rinse off the saucer, dry it, and place it back into the fridge.
Makes roughly 2 pints.

Equipment:
• large, wide rondeau or saucepan
• collander
• drying towel
• large measuring cup
• enough clean jars and lids to contain finished preserves

Ingredients:
3 lb fresh, ripe apricots try to buy directly from the farmer
1 1⁄2 cup white sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice optional; to taste

Procedure:
1. Wash, drain and dry the fruit
2. Split the fruits to remove the pits
3. Chop the fruit to desired size
4. Place fruit into large measuring cup to find its volume
5. Use roughly one-quarter to one-half the volume of the fruit in sugar; most recipes call for an equal volume of sugar, so adjust according to your own tastes
6. Place fruit and sugar into the wide saucepan and bring to a simmer
7. Simmer briskly, stirring often, until jam reaches desired consistency when tested with the cold saucer
8. Be very careful toward the end of the simmering process as the jam may scorch if left unattended for too long.
9. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before transferring to containers. a) If the jam is to be canned, transfer it immediately into prepared (sanitized) jars, then lid and place those jars immediately into a boiling water canner. This procedure will be covered in more detail in another recipe.
10. Place containers of cool, un-canned jam into the fridge and store for up to two months, possibly longer.

Music: http://www.bensound.com/royalty-free-music

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