French Apricot Jam with Lavender

Ingredients for Apricot Jam with Lavender

To make an old fashioned apricot jam, here's what you'll need:

• Apricots: use flavourful ripe apricots. Best at the end of the season and sold particularly for jam-making (French: 'pour la confiture'). Macerating them first in sugar brings out their flavours, as they've got time to say bonjour. There's no need to peel apricots to make jam.
• Sugar: If you prefer to make apricot jam without pectin, then use granulated sugar and cook for longer. I prefer to use a good quality preserving sugar with pectin. However, read the label first as some brands contain extra ingredients such as palm oil.
• Lemon Juice: As lemons are high in pectin this, along with their acidity, helps to naturally thicken the jam.
• Butter: Although optional, I add just a knob of butter to avoid scum (see below).
• Lavender: For a taste of Provence, French apricot jam is delicious with lavender. If you prefer without, there's no need to add anything else but if you prefer, add vanilla.

How Much Can I Reduce Sugar in Jam?

Anything sold and labelled as jam or confiture by law has to contain a minimum of 55% of sugar. It strikes me as being a high amount of sugar.

As I prefer to use at minimum, half sugar to a kilo of fruit and less, this homemade 'jam' doesn't last as long as commercial jams. It's best to consume reduced sugar apricot jam within the year, kept in a cool and dry place and refrigerated once opened.

Why Do You Add Lemon Juice to Jam?

In all our family recipes, lemon juice is added and I have often wondered why. The lemon conserves the natural vibrant colour of the fruit. Plus, as it's naturally high in acid and pectin, it helps to set the jam better. As apricots are low in pectin, lemon is therefore an important ingredient in apricot jam.

Do I Need Pectin for Apricot Jam?

As apricots are low in pectin, thickening apricot jam will be more difficult than in naturally high pectin fruits in spiced plum jam. In fig jam, it's low in pectin but somehow it works - but I add orange (highest amount of pectin in fruit).

So how do you thicken apricot jam ? As I mention above, add the lemon juice as it's a natural jam thickener. I also use special preserving sugar with added pectin just to speed up the process, making the taste of the apricots shine through rather than over boiling. Attention when using special preserving sugar, read the label first as many brands are good and others contain weird ingredients such as palm oil.

How to Thicken Jam Without Pectin

If you prefer to make jam without pectin, just use granulated sugar and lemon juice (it's high in pectin and the acidity helps it to naturally set). Boil up the jam for longer and use the old-fashioned wrinkle test with a cold saucer.

What's Scum on Jam and How to Avoid It

It's only natural that white foam floats to the surface of the pot as you're boiling up the jam. This white foam is known as scum, as it's the impurities in the jam floating to the surface. As a result, the scum should be discarded. Just go around the sides with a slotted spoon to take off.

Is there a way to avoid too much scum? Yes there is! The addition of butter is our top old fashioned apricot jam tip used by my both my Mum and Mother-in-law. Adding a little butter avoids scum floating to the top during the jam-making process. Don't ask me why but it works!

How to Make French Apricot Jam with Lavender

See recipe card for full instructions below for la confiture d'abricot, in French.

Macerate apricot slices, unpeeled, in large sturdy pot with the sugar, lemon juice and lavender. If you prefer without the floral touch, then it's just as good plain. Leave for about 4 hours or overnight until it becomes quite liquid.

Then boil up the jam with a knob of butter. If using pectin it will take about 30 minutes to thicken and up to an hour without.

How do you Know When the Jam is Set?

There are two ways to check if your jam is set:

• Old-fashioned way: ladle a little jam on a chilled plate or saucer. If it thickens or wrinkles, then it's time to stop the cooking.
• Scientific way: heat the jam to 104°C using a candy thermometer. Pour into sterilised jars and you're set (as much as the jam)...

However, if you use pectin the setting time is much quicker and often you don't even need to use this jam-setting method.

How to Serve French Apricot Jam

It's a real winter treat to open up a jar of this golden sunshine. French apricot jam is delicious simply smothered on slices of toast, brioche, croissants or fresh baguette. Even better, on a breakfast tartine (toasted baguette slices, the most popular French breakfast).

But it's just as popular as a topping on crêpes (thin French pancakes) or even Scotch pancakes for a 4 o'clock official French snack, the gôuter or teatime.

As a sauce and glaze: apricot jam is also a handy pantry stable as it can be warmed and dribbled over as a sauce. Try on Plombieres (Candied Fruit) Ice Cream or used as a glaze on a French apple tart.

Use Apricot Jam as a Tart Glaze

Did you know that in France, there's even an expression 'to apricot a tart'?  Abricoter une tarte, means to brush some warmed apricot jam over the top of a tart (such as this apple custard tart) to give it a delicious shiny glaze finish.

Use as a Jam Filling for Apricot Macarons

Plus it goes without saying (ça va sans dire in French - love that phrase!) that you can sandwich your macarons with apricot jam. Just leave them for 24 hours before eating for them to do their magic. This jam has just the right consistency for macaron fillings and is less sweet than if you buy it.

How Long Does Apricot Jam Last?

As this apricot jam is reduced in sugar, the shelf life is shorter. If your jars are sterilised and sealed correctly and stored in a cool, dry place (or fridge) then it can last up to a year.