Jam - the densest in consistency preparation of fruits and berries for the winter. It can be served separately for tea or spread on sandwiches. More often than other sweet canned food, it is used as a filling for pies and similar pastries. It can be made from various fruits and berries. Apricot jam has an attractive amber color and looks very appetizing. You can prepare it without using thickeners, which simplifies the process of its preparation - the hostess does not need to puzzle over how much gelling component to add and at what stage. The process of making apricot jam is long, but not complicated.
Cooking Features
Even if the hostess does not have the experience of home canning, she can cook apricot jam for the winter. It is only necessary to study some features of the technology and have patience, as apricots have to be boiled for a long time.
- Apricots for jam is desirable to take ripe, it is permissible to use even overripe fruits. The optimal composition is that in which 10-20% is occupied by slightly unripe fruits, since they contain the most pectin, which gives the jam thickness.
- The jam should have a uniform consistency. Apricots are ground for it using a meat grinder or blender. The most smooth consistency is obtained by grinding apricots through a sieve. Make it a little easier if pre-apricots put out in a small amount of water.
- It is impossible to use a lot of water when cooking jam, as a large amount of liquid adversely affects the duration of boiling fruit mass.
- It is impossible to cook jam from apricots in aluminum containers. This material, reacting with the acids that make up the fruit, forms harmful substances.
- Spread apricot jam on small jars, which must be sterilized before filling. The cans can be closed only with metal lids to ensure tightness. The lids are also sterilized, usually by boiling.
- Almonds are added to make the almond flavor of apricots almond flavor. Well suited for this delicacy and vanilla flavoring.
Given the long cooking time, apricot jam is well worth it at room temperature. An exception is dessert, cooked without sugar or with a very small amount of it.
Classic Apricot Jam Recipe
The composition (1, 5-1, 75 liters):
- apricots - 2 kg;
- sugar - 1 kg;
- water - 0, 2 l;
- citric acid - 4 g.
Method of preparation:
- Wash and dry apricots.
- Cut the fruit in half, remove the bones from them.
- Fold the apricot halves in a bowl, add water.
- Bring the liquid to the pelvis to a boil over low heat, boil the apricots for 5 minutes. Cool slightly and rub through a sieve.
- Add sugar to apricot puree, set the bowl with it on low heat.
- Cook over low heat, stirring until the fruit mass thickens. It will take about 60 minutes.
- Add citric acid, mix. Then jam on the stove for another 5 minutes.
- Sterilize the jars and their lids.
- Without waiting for the jam to cool, fill them with prepared jars.
- Roll up the cans. After cooling, remove the pantry.
The jam made according to this recipe is well stored at room temperature, citric acid does not allow it to be sugared. You can not be afraid to harvest such a dessert in large quantities, since it will not spoil for at least two years.
Simple recipe for apricot jam
Composition (for 1, 25 l):
- apricots - 1 kg;
- sugar - 1 kg;
- vanillin (optional) - 1 g.
Method of preparation:
- Apricots, peeled, rolled through a meat grinder or chopped with a blender.
- Mix apricot puree with sugar, let the mass stand for half an hour.
- Add vanilla, mix.
- Heat over low heat and simmer, stirring and removing the foam, until the apricot mass thickens.
- Spread the jam in sterilized jars, cork them tightly.
If you plan to use the jam for two weeks, the banks under it can not be sterilized. Closed in sterilized jars of jam can stand up to two years at room temperature.
Recipe for fragrant apricot jam
The composition (1, 5 l):
- apricots (peeled) - 1, 5 kg;
- sugar - 1, 1 kg;
- water - 100 ml;
- almonds - 150 g.
Method of preparation:
- Chop almonds with a blender.
- Peel apricots, hang them, fold them into a bowl.
- Add water, mix. Sweat for 5-10 minutes over low heat.
- Using a blender or meat grinder, turn the apricots into mashed potatoes.
- Mix with sugar, let stand 15 minutes.
- Put on a slow fire. Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes, removing the foam.
- Add almonds, mix. Continue to boil down to the desired thickness.
- Spread out on sterilized jars, roll them up tightly.
The jam in this recipe is especially fragrant. It can be served separately or used to prepare other sweet dishes. Store apricot-almond delicacy can be at room temperature, but not more than a year.
Apricots contain a lot of pectin and are great for making jam. This dessert has an appetizing color and aroma, it turns out tasty and well stored.
