Ikarian-style apricot jam

Sometimes a good recipe doesn't begin with a plan, but with something that suddenly appears in front of you.

We had ripe apricots that I was given as a gift. Sun-warmed, soft, and full of fragrance. At first, they simply sat on the table, then it turned into a quiet afternoon in the kitchen.

Apricot jam without gelling sugar, with lemon, vanilla and honey

Makes approximately 4 small glasses of 200 ml each

Ingredients

• 1 kg ripe apricots, weighed after pitting

• 300–350 g raw cane sugar

• Juice of 1 large lemon,

• about 3 tablespoons of 1 vanilla bean

• 2-3 tbsp pine & thyme honey

• If desired, add some finely grated lemon zest

preparation

Wash the apricots, halve them, remove the pits, and cut them into pieces. The skin can remain; it gives the jam color, aroma, and a beautiful natural texture.

Place the apricot pieces, sugar, and lemon juice in a large pot. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add both to the fruit. If desired, add some finely grated lemon zest.

Mix everything well and let it sit for at least 30 minutes so the apricots release their juice. If you have more time, the mixture can stand for one to two hours.

Then slowly heat the apricots and bring to a boil, stirring regularly. Let the jam simmer uncovered for about 25–35 minutes, until it thickens considerably. Stir frequently, especially towards the end, to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot.

To test the setting time, place a small plate in the refrigerator beforehand. Add a spoonful of jam and wait a moment. When the mixture thickens slightly and is no longer completely runny, it's ready. With this original recipe, it's perfectly fine if it remains a little soft.

Remove the pot from the heat, discard the vanilla pod, and stir in the pine and thyme honey. I deliberately add the honey last to preserve its delicate aroma and complement the warm fruitiness of the apricots.

Immediately pour the hot jam into clean, hot rinsed jars, seal tightly and let cool.

durability

Since this jam is cooked without gelling sugar and with less sugar, I prefer to keep it in the refrigerator and use it up within a few weeks.

Anyone who wants to store jam for a longer period of time should work very cleanly, use sterilized jars and adhere to a tested canning procedure.

What does apricot jam go well with?

It tastes wonderful on fresh bread, with Greek yogurt, with cheese, in pastries or simply on a small spoon straight from the jar.

For me, it's more than a recipe. It's a little jar of summer and a reminder of how good it feels to create something meaningful with your own hands.

The pine and thyme honey I used for this recipe can be found in our shop.

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