Monday, January 24, 2011

Apricot Honey AKA Summer in a Jar!

It is the middle of summer in New Zealand at the moment (although the weather may beg to differ), which means access to an abundance of incredible, fresh, local produce. While I am doing my bit to eat my fill of this selection, some certainly needs to be preserved for the long winter months. I picked up this recipe for Apricot Honey, when I visited a friends' family apricot orchard. We picked until our hearts and tummies were content, and I ended up with a supply of delicious fruit, as well as this amazing recipe. I only wish I could remember the name of the orchard so I could credit them with it!

Apricot Honey
12-15 fresh apricots, stones removed
3 cups dried apricots, soaked overnight in water
2 cups sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
100 grams butter
3 eggs, beaten

Place soaked, dried and fresh apricots in a pot and cover with water. Boil until tender and puree until smooth. Combine puree with sugar, lemon juice and butter and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the beaten eggs and cook, stirring continuously until the mixture thickens. Bottle in sterilised jars and seal. Keep refrigerated.
Makes about 6 jars.

This mixture is utterly divine and tastes like summer in a jar. I will have to be sure not to eat it all now, so I will have some for winter! This honey is delicious on toast with butter, dolloped on yoghurt, in smoothies, and something I haven't tried yet but am sure would be amazing - folded into homemade ice cream!

Apricot honey on vanilla-poached rhubarb with yoghurt and cream!
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4 comments:

  1. ellaJanuary 24, 2011 at 6:14 PM

    Oh my! So will it keep over winter in the fridge then? I always get worried about my lemon honey going off as it says to use it quickly but it always seems fine for ages.

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  2. Nigel OlsenJanuary 25, 2011 at 5:19 PM

    Wow - I was googling for something to do with this box of apricots that I was given at work today & your post popped up - this looks perfect :) Thanks very much (& nice blog, too!).

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  3. frangipaniJanuary 27, 2011 at 7:16 PM

    Delicious. I have just made a batch using your recipe. It has worked well but I am so annoyed with myself cos I let the apricots catch on the bottom of the pot as they simmered(probably shouldn't have tried making it at the same time as the family meal!)so it has got a slightly burnt taste.

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  4. AmyJanuary 28, 2011 at 10:39 PM

    Oh dear, what a shame! You will just have to eat it all and try again :) Super excited to hear you got a peach from your tree, too! Well done! I can't wait for next year when the batch is bigger!

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