Apricot Jam from Austria

I know that apricot jam does not necessarily originate in Austria, but as this is my mother in law's recipe and since apricot jam is very widely used here (probably as we have such wonderful apricots from Wachau), I claim it's origin to be Austria.

A quick note on the difference between marmalade and jam: jams are made by boiling fruits and contain fruit bits (versus jellies, which are made from fruit juice); Marmalade typically is a citrus-based preserve, sometimes containing the rind.

And another note on how to sterilise jars: you could wash the jars and lids in the dish washer, but you must use them while still hot.

You could also wash them with warm or hot soapy water, rinse and place them in the oven at 250°F (120°C). Keep them there until you need them.

Also a very good idea is to rinse them with a spoonful of alcohol (rum or vodka is even better) while they are still warm and right before you fill in the jam, close with the lid and shake well, so that the alcohol can spread evenly. Then open them and put them upside down on a kitchen towel to get rid of any alcoholic rest. Don’t worry, you won’t taste any alcohol and the tiny amount evaporates completely in the hot jam.

Ingredients:

• 4,5-5,5 lb (2-2,5 kg) fresh apricots

• 4,5 lb (2 kg) sugar*

Wash the apricots, remove the stones and cut them in small pieces. Mix together with the sugar and let it rest for a while. Stir occasionally.

Then bring slowly to a boil and cook for a couple of minutes.

To test if it’s the right consistency, give a little bit of jam onto a metallic spoon and within a short time it should congeal.

Fill it into the prepared jars, close the lids firmly and put them upside down for 10 minutes. That closes the lids even better and creates a vacuum.

You should get 6-8 glasses.

*In Austria we have a special sugar for making jams and marmalade, called Gelierzucker. This sugar is great as it helps with the congealing and even includes a bit of citric acid, which is a good idea to use.

I could not find out if there is an English word for this kind of sugar, but of course you can use regular sugar, in which case I would add a bit of citric acid or lemon juice.