For me, nothing screams “summertime” more than homemade apricot jam! Luckily, right out my kitchen door, and about ten steps(I counted) to the right is an apricot tree that was loaded with the little gems this summer:) Many were eaten right from the tree!
There was such a bounty that I was able to share the little jewels with my daughter and sister-in-law so that they could make their own “summer in a jar:)” No apricot in the store can compare with the sweetness and texture of one right off the tree…grown with nothing but California sunshine!
So bight, cheery and sweet…A few didn’t make it to the jam jar:)
I made easy-peasy freezer jam because it’s so speedy and simple! Perhaps next year I will graduate to the “real deal” and make the classic, cooked jam. (That’s what my daughter and sister-in-law did.) Some of the jam was going to be eaten within the next few weeks so I put that jam in the glass jars to be refrigerated. It looks so golden and tastes so delicious! Fresh jam on buttered bread is a bit of heaven:)
30 Minutes to Homemade SURE.JELL® Apricot Freezer Jam
(I used 100% natural Sure Jell premium fruit pectin)
Makes: About 7 (1-cup) containers
| 2-1/2 cups prepared fruit (buy about 1-3/4 lb. fully ripe apricots) |
| 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice |
| 5-1/2 cups sugar, measured into separate bowl |
| 3/4 cup water |
| 1 box SURE.JELL Fruit Pectin |
| RINSE clean plastic containers and lids with boiling water. Dry thoroughly. |
| PIT and finely chop unpeeled apricots. Measure exactly 2-1/2 cups prepared fruit into large bowl. Add lemon juice. Stir in sugar. Let stand 10 min., stirring occasionally. |
| MIX water and pectin in small saucepan. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring constantly. Continue boiling and stirring 1 min. Add to fruit mixture; stir 3 min. or until sugar is dissolved and no longer grainy. (A few sugar crystals may remain.) |
| FILL all containers immediately to within 1/2 inch of tops. Wipe off top edges of containers; immediately cover with lids. Let stand at room temperature 24 hours. Jam is now ready to use. Store in refrigerator up to 3 weeks or freeze extra containers up to 1 year. Thaw in refrigerator before using. |
