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BRANDIED APRICOT JAM
2 Cups B&R Farms
dried apricot halves (about 10 ounces), each cut in two
2-½ cups water
Juice and grated peel of 1 orange
1 ¼ Cups sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
3 tablespoons Brandy or Cognac
Combine the apricots
and water in a bowl, cover, and let stand overnight, or until soft and
well plumped-about 8 to 12 hours.
Combine the apricots and their soaking water in a saucepan with the orange
peel and juice and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the sugar and bring to a boil, stirring. Boil gently, stirring often,
until the mixture is thick and shiny and begins to clear the side of the
pan when stirred. While the mixture thickens, be sure to stir it continually
but gently, so that the fruit does not burn or get squashed. Do not allow
the mixture to cook down to a puree; it should retain good-sized bits
of apricot. The process should take roughly 25 to 30 minutes, but this
varies.
Remove the preserves from the heat and stir in the almond extract and
brandy.
Ladle the mixture into three hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving ¼
inch of headspace, and seal with sterilized two-piece lids.
Cool and let mellow several weeks before serving.
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