Apricot jam

Ingredients

• 1.25 kg of just ripe or slightly unripe apricots, destoned and cut in half
• 900 g caster sugar
• 30 mL water
• 30 mL fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Place apricots in a saucepan. Add cold water and lemon and bring to a gentle boil.
2. Reduce heat, cover with lid and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Add sugar, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, bring fruit to a boil to cook off liquid. This should take about 20 minutes. Stir frequently to make sure mixture doesn’t burn.
4. Spoon a small amount of jam on a chilled plate. Let it stand for a minute to cool then move it slightly with a spoon. If it wrinkles slightly, it is ready. If it is still very runny, cook for another 5 minutes and try again.
5. Once jam is set, remove saucepan from the heat. Let jam stand for 10 minutes to allow fruit to settle.
6. Pour into sterilised jars. Jam will still be a liquid consistency at this point. It will set completely in the jar after 48 hours.