Apricot Paste

What a mixed blessing a bountiful tree can be. We have more slow roasted apricots than we can fit in the freezer, more jam, chutney and relish than we will eat in the year. I am running out of friends willing to take a bag or bucket of apricots or any of the jam, chutney, relish or paste, although, there are still some who will take a container or two cooked apricots for their breakfast cereal. Not sure what we will do with the crop of plums or quinces.

 All desserts feature apricots, this upside down cake is a favourite and the recipe is here.

I have made apricot paste as an alternative to quince paste. The flavour is quite tart and it is a quite a bright colour, it is a nice change on the cheese board. I used the technique that I always use for quince paste, however, the setting properties of the apricots are not as good as quince and I added a packet of Jamsetta / commercial pectin..

This is what it will look like.

 Wash, stone and chop apricots into small pieces or thin slices.

Place apricots in a large open saucepan, and stir gently over a low heat until fruit becomes soft and mushy

 Measure the fruit mixture, and allow 1 kg of sugar to each litre of fruit pree.

Return the fruit mixture and sugar to the pan. Add the juice/citric acid and stir over the heat, without boiling until the sugar is dissolved.

Bring to the boil, and boil uncovered without stirring for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the puree has reduced to a thick paste and will stay separated when you drag a spoon through the mixture, it also changes colour and burns easily. Use jamsetta if the mixture is not setting as it should.

Apricot Paste

Ingredients

2 kg apricots 2 kg sugar

Juice of 4 lemons or 2 teaspoons citric acid I pkt Jamsetta

Method

Clean plastic containers to mould the paste. Spray containers with cooking spray if you want to unmould the apricot paste

Wash, stone and chop apricots into small pieces or thin slices.

Place apricots in a large open saucepan, and stir gently over a low heat until fruit becomes soft and mushy

Measure the fruit mixture, and allow 1 kg of sugar to each litre of fruit puree.

Return the fruit mixture and sugar to the pan. Add the juice/citric acid and stir over the heat, without boiling until the sugar is dissolved.

Bring to the boil, and boil uncovered without stirring for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the puree has reduced to a thick paste and will stay separated when you drag a spoon through the mixture.  You may need to add the Jamsetta. If so sprinkle Jamsetta over paste, stir and bring back to boil and simmer a further ten minutes. Stir frequently as the mixture will stick to the pan.

Pour into plastic containers

Cool until set.