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Abrikosovoye Varen
Apricot Jam
Abrikosovoye Varen
A golden jam with bits of whole fruit suspended in it.
Ingredients
Makes 1 pint (600 ml) jam
1 lb (450 g) fresh apricots
8 fluid oz (225 ml) blanching water
Lemon juice
1 tablespoon vodka
1 lb (450 g) sugar
Method
Blanch the fruits in boiling water to loosen their skins, then peel them. Cut them in half and remove the stones. Place 1 dozen of the stones in a muslin bag and tie it with string. Drop the apricots into cold water acidulated with lemon juice.
In a saucepan bring the sugar and 8 fluid oz (225 ml) of the blanching water to the boil. Boil for a few minutes to make a light syrup. Cool the syrup slightly, then add the halved apricots and the bag of kernels. Bring to the boil over high heat, then remove the pan from the heat and leave it to stand for 15 minutes.
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil again, then once more remove the pan from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes.
Bring to the boil for the third time, then pour the mixture into a shallow ceramic or earthenware bowl. Cover the syrupy fruit and leave to stand overnight.
The next day, strain the mixture, catching the liquid in a saucepan. Bring the syrup to the boil, then pour it hot over the fruit, which has been returned to the ceramic bowl. Cover and leave to stand overnight.
The third day, repeat the procedure, straining the fruit and bringing the syrup to the boil. Pour the syrup hot over the fruit once again.
On the fourth day, remove the bag with the kernels. Then bring the entire mixture - both syrup and fruit- to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook slowly until the fruit is transparent and the syrup has thickened, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the heat; stir in the vodka. Leave the jam to cool slightly until a thin skin forms on the surface, then stir for a few minutes (this prevents the fruit from floating to the top of the jars). Pour into jars and seal.
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