This apricot jam recipe is so simple, has much reduced sugar levels than its traditional counterparts and doesn't include any commercial pectin. It has my family's seal of approval and recent feedback from one of our members was...

"I made the jam yesterday & it's delicious, best apricot jam I've ever made. Thank you for the recipe 😊" (Kylie, member of The Preserver's Kitchen Membership)

Apricots have a tendency to stick when making jam so pay attention to that. I like to prepare the apricot, add the sugar and lemon, mix through and leave to macerate to pull some moisture from the fruit. You can leave it in the fridge overnight to macerate if you wish - I like this option as it splits the jam making session in half and can make it more manageable.

Being a reduced sugar jam, my preference is to water bath it. If you prefer to use the hot fill / open kettle method then be sure to sterilise the jars and lids/seals and fill the jars with very hot jam.

Makes: 3x 250mL jars

Ingredients:

• 1 kg prepared apricots (pit removed and chopped)
• 400 g sugar
• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Method:

1. Prepare the water bath canner adding just enough hot water to cover the jars. Set it over a high heat to bring to the boil while you prepare the jars and jam.
2. Wash jars and lids/seals in warm, soapy water, rinse and let drain on a clean tea towel. Place the jars into an oven dish (right way up) and pop them into a low oven (around 100°C) until ready to fill. The lids/seals can be left on the clean tea towel until ready to use.
3. Prepare the apricots by removing the pit then chopping until you get to 1 kg in prepared weight. Add the sugar and lemon juice to a heavy based pot or jam pan and mix to combine. Leave the apricots, sugar and lemon to macerate for 10 min or longer in order to avoid having to add water to prevent sticking. Place over a medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Boil until the set point it reached (test using either a thermometer to 104°C or the wrinkle test on cold plates), this will take approximately 20 min.
4. Remove the jars from the oven and fill with hot jam to 10 mm (¼”) headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim. Place the lid on the jar and screw on band until finger tight (if using a jar with a hinge or clamps, simply fix those closed).
5. Place the jars on a rack into the water bath making sure there is at least 2 cm of water above the jars. Once the water has come back to the boil, heat process the jars for 10 min.
6. After 10 min, turn off the water bath, remove the canner lid, and leave the jars in the water for another 5 min. After 5 mins, remove the jars and place on a folded tea towel or on a wooden chopping board. Leave the jars undisturbed for 12 – 24 h before checking that they have sealed. Wipe down the outsides of the jars, allow to dry, label and date. Enjoy!

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