Bottled Preserved Apricots

Preserved Apricots

Jill Ferry/Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 40 mins
Total: 55 mins
Servings: 10 to 15 servings

The season for fresh apricots is short and one way of extending the enjoyment of these beautiful fruits is in this bottled apricots recipe. It's such a simple recipe and, when the dark winter months come, you can open a jar of apricots for a taste of summer sunshine.

Use these lovely preserved apricots in pies, cakes, desserts, or simply eat them with a spoon. 

To make the bottled apricots, you will need canning jars (probably 2-quart jars or 4-pint jars) that can be found in most supermarkets these days. At first, these jars will seem to be very costly, but they will last for years and can be used over and over again for new canning projects.

Ingredients

  • 2 pints (1 liter) water

  • 26 ounces (750 grams) sugar

  • 2 1/4 pounds (1 kilogram) apricots, washed, halved, stones removed

  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Place the water and sugar into a large nonreactive pan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the sugar water to a boil, reduce by one-third then leave to cool.

  3. Pack the halved, pitted apricots into canning jars with the cut side facing down. Divide the vanilla pod between the number of jars you have filled with apricots.

  4. Fill each jar with the cold syrup up to the lip of the jar, leaving an inch or so clear at the top. Cover with a lid and screw on. 

  5. Place the jars in a large pan of cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 25 minutes. Leave to cool.

  6. The next day, repeat the boiling again, this time boiling for 15 minutes.

Tips

  • The apricots will keep in a cool, dark space for up to six months unopened.
  • Once opened, refrigerate and use within a couple of days. The apricots are delicious served with ice cream, on top of puddings, or as a filling for tarts and pastries. Try them in a queen of puddings recipe—yummy. 

Recipe Variations

  • Try adding a couple of cloves to the jars before sealing. Do not be tempted to add more than one or two to each bottle; cloves have a way of taking over and the flavor might become too dominant for the sweet apricots. 
  • Before closing the jars, add a little cognac or brandy to the jar. In this recipe, these apricots will not become boozy, or alcoholic, it will just add extra flavor. 
  • For a really autumnal spicing of the apricots, add a cinnamon stick and one star anise seed pod to each jar before closing. The heavily scented spicing turns the apricots into an earthy, fall dish, just perfect to add to a crumble or a pie. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
241 Calories
0g Fat
60g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 15
Amount per serving
Calories 241
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 4mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 60g 22%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 56g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 7mg 34%
Calcium 15mg 1%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 222mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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