Homemade Apricot Preserves

Besides spreading on toast with some butter, apricot preserves are a delightful accompaniment to cheeses. This homemade preserve is excellent with some mild and creamy havarti (as I found out the delicious way) since it's more tart than most sugary jams available in the market.





Ingredients:
Apricots
Sugar (preferably turbinado sugar or the white cane sugar)*
Lemon juice 
Vanilla extract 
Sprinkle of ground nutmeg

• To remove the apricot skin, drop the fruits into a pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes. Then transfer immediately to an ice bath for easy peeling. 
• Scrap apricot flesh into a stainless steel pot and discard seeds in the process. 
• Squeeze lemon juice over apricot to retain bright color and to add a burst of flavor. 
• Cook apricot over medium-low heat until some of the moisture has evaporated. 
• Add sugar (about 1/2 cup for 1.5 lbs of fruit), vanilla extract and ground nutmeg and continue simmering until mixture thickens slightly. 

* Other types of sweetener such as honey, agave nectar, or brown sugar may impart too much flavor for this delicate preserve. 

Special thanks to Ruth P. for providing the wonderful home-grown apricots to experiment with!