Apricot jam: 11 Recipes

Sunny, honey-sweet apricots with a delicate flavor and velvety skin enjoy an abundant harvest and require fast processing of the fruit. They don't keep fresh for long, but that's enough time to lay out the halves for drying, swirl compotes, make marshmallows and golden, stunningly delicious jam for the winter.

Apricot miracle

The fruit tree loves heat and plenty of sunshine, and grows in many southern regions. Its homeland is considered a small region of the Tien Shan in China. The second version claims that the first trees grew in Armenia, from where they were brought to Greece by soldiers of the Macedonian army. The next point of the apricot's journey was Italy.

Interesting: The plant is mentioned in the works of Dioscorides and Pliny under the name "Armenian apple".

On the territory of Russia the first seedlings appeared in the XVII century, where the fruit was quickly appreciated. Apricot requires constant care, in abandoned orchards it quickly goes wild, the fruit becomes shallow, becomes sour and bitter, and the life span of the tree is shortened. With proper care, it can live up to 100-120 years, bearing fruit for 3-4 decades. In order to extend this term, rejuvenating pruning is carried out, after which it is possible to gather an abundant harvest for a few more years.

Deciduous tree grows up to 4-6 meters. The crown is well branched with many small branches-branches. The bark has a reddish tint which turns brown over time. Flowers sit on short petioles singly, blooming in April. The main enemy for the ovaries is spring frosts. They provoke the mass fall off, the harvest becomes very scarce.

Apricots are usually grown in the southern regions, but the efforts of breeders have created regionalized varieties that mature in the Moscow region and the north. Early varieties bear fruit in July, while late varieties mature in August.

Variety diversity

On the basis of the basic varieties, a huge number of varieties have been bred, and the characteristics of the fruit differ significantly in color, shape, flesh density and ripening time. This must be taken into account when selecting apricots for jamming, drying or canning. Large dessert varieties are great for eating fresh, but most of them have a poor bone separation from the pulp and turn into a mushy mass when cooked.

Drier and denser fruits, such as Saratov ruby, Red-cheeked, give little juice, which is also worth considering. But they perfectly retain their shape and are easily soaked in syrup.

Each region has its own preferred varieties. Among the versatile, highly frost-resistant and heat-resistant, popular love are:

• Alesha;
• Aisberg;
• Tasty;
• Czarsky;
• Lel;
• Sibiryak Baikalova;
• Favorit.

Composition and calories of apricots

Regardless of the size of the fruit, the basic set of elements is the same except for the level of fruit sugars. It depends on the region of growth, the variety and the weather conditions during the summer months in which the ripening period takes place. The list of beneficial constituents includes:

• organic acids;
• starch;
• inulin;
• fiber;
• tannins;
• lycopene;
• quercetin;
• vitamins A, C, PP, B;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• iodine;
• iron;
• pectin.

Kernels contain linolenic and oleic acids, enzymes, lactase. Oil from the kernels is used in cosmetology and perfumery. Caloric value of fresh fruits - 44 kcal, dried - 241, jam - 268.

Useful properties of apricots

In addition to enjoying the taste and aroma, the fruits give a tangible medicinal effect. The high content of potassium salts makes them an indispensable product for people with diseases of the cardiovascular system. Magnesium supports the nervous system, vitamin complex helps prevent avitaminosis.

A mild laxative effect accelerates the purification of the body and prevents constipation. Fresh fruits are especially useful in case of increased gassiness, accompanied by a putrid odor. In this case, the variety does not matter, such action applies to any fruit, except the dewdrop.

Several apricots a day strengthen the immune system, saturate it with necessary microelements, normalize blood parameters and increase hemoglobin.

For the kidneys, fruit is a real boon. They speed up the elimination of fluid, while preventing the formation of sand. The pulp contains carotenoids, which are essential for maintaining visual acuity, preventing the development of cataracts.

Sunny fruits eliminate bad breath. have a local anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effect, which is good for the gums.

For women

Apricots are included in the list of fruits necessary to maintain immunity, hormonal balance, relieve swelling and emotional outbursts. Vitamin complex is necessary to maintain elasticity and beauty of skin, hair and nails structure. Apricot oil is included in massage and aromatic compositions. It is light and pleasant to the touch, quickly absorbs, nourishes, moisturizes, removes local inflammation, protects from negative environmental impacts.

Fresh fruits and treats made of them inhibit the aging process, maintain elasticity of blood vessels and skin, remove toxins and waste. During pregnancy and menopause, apricots stabilize the emotional state, maintain a balance of useful substances, relieve irritation and eliminate signs of depression.

For men

The use of these fruits reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack, restores strength after heavy physical exertion and stress. Apricots are on the list of aphrodisiacs, improve blood circulation in the groin area, increase libido. Fruits are recommended at the risk of developing prostatitis.

For children

It is simply impossible to keep little ones from apricots. The main thing is that they do not overeat them, otherwise the stomach upset is guaranteed. For children from 1 year old apricots are useful in any form. Begin complementary feeding with 2-5 drops of juice, increasing the dosage as it gets older. The fruit works in several directions at once strengthening bones and nervous system, supporting metabolism, stimulating the regeneration process, improving attention and memory.

What is useful for apricot jam

Jars of jam rolled up for the winter are a real treasure trove of vitamins and trace elements. When boiled for a short time, almost all the useful substances are preserved, as well as the main properties. A few spoonfuls of jam improve mood and immunity, stimulate thinking processes, strengthen hair and nails. Fruit-based dessert can reduce the risk of heart and vascular disorders, stabilize blood pressure, and prevent migraine attacks.

Apricot jam is recommended when working in hazardous industries with the risk of accumulation of heavy metal salts. It will save from premature aging, GI problems and anemia.

Contraindications .

You can not eat jam with diabetes, individual intolerance. You will have to limit yourself if you are overweight, diarrhea, during breastfeeding, exacerbation of gastrointestinal diseases.

Interesting: many restrictions on the use of fresh fruit for jam are removed. The allergenicity of the fruit and the level of acid contained in them are significantly reduced.

How to choose apricots for jam

In the piggy banks of hostesses a huge number of recipes, and for some, the properties of the fruit are fundamental. For example, for making apricot honey, sweetness and juiciness come to the fore, those who like to keep the shape of the slices in the syrup will have to look for species with an easily detachable bone. To determine this, just break the fruit in half.

It is worth remembering: In overripe fruits quickly begins the process of fermentation, they are no longer suitable for jam.

It is best to use the harvest from your own garden plot for preserves. If it does not exist, for fragrant and ecologically pure fruit is better to go to the farmers' market or spontaneous markets near suburban villages. Imported product is useless.

In order for the jam to be tasty, fragrant and stored well, when choosing fruits, you need to pay attention to the appearance. Crumpled, spotted, under-ripe and over-ripe are put aside. Discard the product with the smell of mold and fermentation. If you plan to make jam or honey, it is better to take large, juicy fruits with a thin skin. For drying and jamming by pouring syrup, take small ripe fruits. They have a short shelf life, so it is worth immediately after buying or harvesting to start processing them. They can wait no more than 2 days, then begin to spoil.

How to cook apricot jam: recipes

Apricots are versatile in use and perfectly combined with other fruits and berries. A whole gallery of flavors can be created from them.

The classic way

You will need only fruit and sugar in a ratio of 1:1. Cooked in two ways: with a single cooking until fully cooked and with the syrup pouring. In both cases, the prepared seedless halves poured sugar and leave for a few hours until the juice. Then cook for 35-40 minutes with continuous stirring, if you do not want to preserve the integrity of fruit. When you want to admire the neat slices in the finished product, boil the syrup separately and pour it over the fruit. Cooking the whole mass is carried out only on the third time, the degree of readiness is determined by a drop of syrup on a platter.

Note: As the jam cools, it becomes thicker.

Five-Minute .

The most useful kind of delicacy preserves maximum nutrients, pleases with a subtle taste with a hint of freshness. Boil it without a seed, so first the fruits are washed, divided into halves and placed in a dish, pouring layers of sugar at the rate of 1.5:2. After 3-4 hours the mass is placed on the fire, brought to a boil and kept for 5 minutes. Then set aside until it cools. Requires 3 approaches with the same cooking time. In the last series of dessert immediately rolled in sterilized jars under an airtight lid. Store the dainty recommended in a cool dark place.

Seedless

Many varieties have bitter bones. They prefer to be removed, especially when the dessert is intended for children. Cooking is carried out according to the classic method.

With Pits

Apricot kernels have a lot of useful substances. So as not to waste goodness, several varieties with edible kernels have been bred. They taste like walnuts and almonds at the same time, but more tart. The most famous of this range are considered to be Triumph Northern, Amur, Academician. When buying fruit for jam, it is best to determine the quality experimentally right at the counter by breaking the fruit and pitting the seed. Sellers who are confident in the quality of their product will not stand in the way, much less sell it to private vendors who sell their harvest surplus.

Czar's jam is time-consuming, but it has a truly unique flavor. To prepare the fruit you will need patience and accuracy. The apricots are not cut all the way through so that they do not disintegrate into halves. The pit is taken out, cracked and the kernel is put inside the pulp.

The proportions are classic, for the syrup you need another glass of water. It is boiled separately, pouring the prepared fruit. You will have to repeat it twice, and then finish cooking the sweet mass until it is ready and roll it up in jars. This method will keep the fruit intact, if they were originally not large, with dense flesh and medium-thick skin.

With Cherries

A rich and ornate mix will give sweet-tooth lovers a delight and will work perfectly as a filling for baking. For 1.5 kg of pitted berries you will need 1 kg each of sugar and apricots. The first step is to make a syrup of sugar and 10 ml of water. When it boils and all the crystals dissolve, the fruit and berry mixture is transferred into it. Boil on low heat for only 5 minutes, which preserves the useful substances. If the liquid turned out too much, it is poured into a separate bottle, stored in the refrigerator and used as a rinse for biscuit cakes.

With lemon

A citrus flavor will come in handy for sweet varieties. It will enrich the flavor and aroma, giving it a spicy note. For the classic ratio of ingredients, take 1 large lemon. It is carefully washed, steeped and cut in half. Select the seeds from the pulp, squeeze out the juice. Grate zest on a fine grater. Cut apricots into quarters or puree them. For cooking choose a saucepan with a thick bottom. It ensures even heating and prevents from sticking. Cooking time is 40 minutes with constant stirring. Once the mass begins to change color and thicken a little, it is ready for pouring into jars.

With nuts

For addition, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts are suitable. Peeled kernels are divided into halves. There you can also put apricot seeds, if you got the appropriate variety. You will need:

• fruit - 1 kg;
• sugar - 1.2 kg;
• nuts - 200 grams;
• lemon juice - 2 tablespoons.

Ingredients are mixed and left for 12 hours to get the juice. The mass is boiled for 5 minutes on low heat.

Important: To prevent the fruit slices from crumpling, do not stir the jam, but only shake the pan in different directions.

For full readiness it will take 3 approaches with the mass to stand until it cools completely.

With plums

For the treat, the ingredients are taken in equal proportions, the fruit is cut into quarters. It looks very beautiful if the fruits are about the same size. They are poured with boiling syrup and left to soak for 6-8 hours. Have to cook in 3 stages, with the last boiling delicacy poured into small shaped jars and airtight seal.

Jelly in the oven

Many people prefer a homogeneous mass for spreading on a morning sandwich or stuffing for cheesecakes. In order not to stand over a pan, you can cook jam in a deep tray. To do this, the fruit is rubbed with sugar and laid out in a thick even layer. For 3 kg of fruit you will need 1 kg of sugar. The cooking time is two hours. The mass should boil almost twice as much. During the cooking process, the jam is stirred several times. To speed up the process in the first half hour, the container is covered with foil with holes punched in it.

Apricot honey

It is made only from a fully ripe fruit of soft and succulent varieties. Pips and skin are removed, pulverized in a blender until smooth. For 2 kg of apricots take 1 kg of sugar. The mass is boiled in 3 times the single approach. The pan is placed on the lowest heat and simmer without a lid with regular stirring. You can use the varieties with pips that are not separated, or just catch them with a slotted spoon during cooking.

In a multicooker

It is very convenient to cook multi-component recipes in a non-burnable bowl, since everything is cooked equally. The ingredients are put in at once, select the stew mode for 1 hour. Some models have a special section "Jam", which is even more convenient. Before you start cooking, open the valve to release steam.

Can I eat apricot kernels in jam?

There is amygdalin in the kernels, which in large quantities causes food poisoning. But it is successfully destroyed by heat treatment. And if you take varieties with sweetish kernels, such jam is absolutely safe. The main thing is to eat it within a year after cooking, so that it does not sugary and does not lose its taste.

Interesting facts about apricots

1. The first evidence of the cultivation of the plant dates back to the IV millennium BC, as confirmed by finds in excavations.
2. There is still debate about the home of the fruit, but in many countries the name is translated as "Armenian apple".
3. When the fruit is dried, its caloric value increases tenfold.
4. Apricots are easily crossed with related species. Thus, a dark apricot obtained by combining with alycha was bred. There are hybrids with plum.
5. Taste characteristics and sweetness level directly depend on weather conditions.
6. Without care, the plant goes wild very quickly.
7. In a variety of varieties, semi-dwarf and dwarf species are found.
8. The fruit is grown in many countries, with Turkey being the export leader.
9. The product belongs to the low-calorie, recommended during diets.
10. Apricots are considered a powerful aphrodisiac and also slow down aging.

Apricot jam allows many variations of preparation even with the most unexpected ingredients, such as pumpkin and kiwi. The only reference point is the taste preferences of the author of the dish. Bold experiments will give delightful results and replenish the piggy bank of desserts. You should not forget about the classic way, too, with the pleasure of putting golden jam on the table for guests and relatives.

Photo of apricot jam