It was a grey February morning when I fancied apricot jam, and of course there wasn’t a single ripe apricot to be found in the shops. Then, while tidying the store cupboard, I came across a half-opened bag of dried apricots that had been sitting there for a while. I soaked them overnight, and the next morning a jar of apricot jam from dried apricots stood on the table, tasting more intense than any summer preserve before it. I have been making it in the middle of winter ever since, when the longing for sunshine is at its greatest.
What makes this recipe so lovely: it needs four ingredients, no stoning, no peeling and no season. Dried apricots are available all year round, they are inexpensive and far more concentrated in flavour than fresh fruit, which is why this spread tastes so incredibly fruity. And because the fruit brings its own soaking water along, nothing is poured away: the whole flavour stays in the jar. If you have an opened bag of dried fruit in the cupboard, you have essentially already started.
Ingredients
Before you start, here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe. The exact quantities are listed in the recipe card at the end of the article.
Dried apricots: the base, intensely aromatic and naturally sweet. Unsulphured fruit is darker but rounder in flavour.
Preserving sugar 2:1: provides the set and a pleasant sweetness that isn’t overpowering.
Lemon juice: adds freshness and lifts the apricot flavour.
Water: for soaking and blending. It determines the consistency and goes into the pan along with everything else.
Optional: a hint of vanilla or cinnamon for a warmer note.
How I make apricot jam from dried apricots – Step by Step
The only part that takes a little patience is the overnight soaking. Everything after that is done within a quarter of an hour.
Soaking the dried apricots overnight
Put the dried apricots into a bowl and cover with the water. Leave to stand, covered, overnight. The fruit softens, soaks up the liquid and releases its flavour into the water. It is precisely this soaking water that is used later on.
Blending the fruit with its soaking water
Blend the soaked apricots together with their soaking water, using a hand blender or a high-speed blender, until the desired consistency is reached. For a chunkier result, stop earlier; for a velvety spread, let the blender run a minute longer. If the mixture is too thick, a splash of water helps.
Sterilising the jars
Sterilise the screw-top jars for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 120 °C. Lids and rubber rings go separately into boiling water for 3 minutes. This is easily done alongside, while the fruit mixture reduces on the hob.
Cooking with preserving sugar and lemon juice
Put the fruit mixture into a saucepan with the preserving sugar and the splash of lemon juice and bring to the boil, stirring. Simmer uncovered over a low heat for 5 to 10 minutes until a thick fruit spread has formed. Stir now and again so nothing catches on the base of the pan. Add a pinch of vanilla or cinnamon at this point if you like.
Filling and sealing while hot
Pour the hot jam straight into the sterilised jars and seal them tightly. Stand the jars upside down for a few minutes. This creates a vacuum that extends the shelf life. Then leave to cool completely.
Storing in a cool, dark place
Keep the cooled jars somewhere dark and cool. The apricot jam will keep for about 3 months there, assuming it isn’t eaten before then.
Tips & Variations
The quality of the dried fruit decides almost everything: Turkish apricots are particularly aromatic, while unsulphured fruit makes the jam darker and more caramelised in flavour. Other dried fruits work in place of apricots as well, with dried figs or dates giving a deeper, almost honeyed note. For a more festive version, a splash of Amaretto or orange liqueur suits it well, added right at the end of the cooking time so the aroma doesn’t disappear. Anyone who prefers to work without preserving sugar can use ordinary sugar plus pectin. And one tip from my kitchen: if you don’t quite trust your tap water, use filtered water, because it all goes into the jar.
Storage
Room temperature: unopened, the jam keeps for around 3 months somewhere dark and cool. After filling, the jars should have drawn a vacuum audibly.
Fridge: once opened, keep refrigerated and use within 2 to 3 weeks. Always use a clean spoon.
Freezer: frozen in small portions, the jam keeps for around 6 months. Fill the jars only three quarters full and defrost in the fridge.
Note: the freezer figure is a suggestion and has not yet been tested.
FAQ
Yes, although the amount of water has to be reduced considerably, because fresh apricots bring a lot of liquid with them. The flavour becomes fresher as a result, but less concentrated.
Unopened, around 3 months in a cool, dark place. Once opened it belongs in the fridge and should be used within 2 to 3 weeks.
Yes, but then a setting agent such as pectin is needed for the right consistency. With preserving sugar 2:1 the recipe works most reliably.
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Recipe card
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Apricot Jam from Dried Apricots
Equipment
- 1 Hand blender or high-speed blender
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Screw-top jars
Ingredients
- 300 g dried apricots
- 130 g preserving sugar 2:1
- 1 splash lemon juice
- 700 ml water
Instructions
- Soak the dried apricots in the water overnight.
- Blend the apricots together with their soaking water using a hand blender or a high-speed blender until the desired consistency is reached.
- Put the fruit purée, the preserving sugar and the lemon juice into a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer uncovered over a low heat for approx. 5 to 10 minutes until a thick fruit spread has formed. Stir occasionally.
- Fill the hot jam straight into the sterilised jars and seal them tightly.
- Leave to cool completely. Stored in a dark, cool place the apricot jam keeps for approx. 3 months.
Notes
Once opened, keep in the fridge and use within 2 to 3 weeks.
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