My husband just gently pushed half a tree-ripened apricot into my mouth…
If you have never eaten tree-ripened fruit then you need to know you are seriously missing out. The taste is incomparible to what you will buy in the supermarket.
The apricot tasted almost as sweet as a peach, with incredibly scented skin and a temple-achingly sweet juicy burst of sugar and acidity in the mouth. I can’t stop my mouth from watering even just describing it to you…
Fruit that is slightly bruised by falling from the tree shouldn’t be wasted… Apricot Jam is simple to make and tastes fantastic…
Apricot Jam
Ingredients
equal volume of cooked fruit and sugar (that’s it!)
Method
- Collect as much fruit as you can… cut off any soft spots or rot and cook the fruit (with just enough water to stop it sticking on the bottom of the pot).
- Measure the volume of cooked fruit and match it with sugar. Some saucepans now have measurements up the side which makes this easy to do, but if you don’t have one of those, use a cup to measure out how much fruit you have.
- Mix the two ingredients together and bring to the boil. Stir assiduously until the jam passes the wrinkle test (put a small amount on a plate, let cool and push it with your finger. If it wrinkles, it will set as good jam.)
- Use the overflow method to fill sterilised jars (keep filling the jar until it literally overflows, then wipe the rim and put the lid on whilst the jam is hot and there is no space for air in the top of the jar). The lids will ‘pop’ as they cool and your jam will last.
- Spread onto warm buttered bread in a few months time and relive the sensation of eating tree-ripened fruit.
Enjoy!
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag #coromandelflavour – I love to see what you’ve been making and any feedback is really welcome.