Fruity apricot jam.

Close to Vienna (which means an hour drive) is a famous rural region called the Wachau. And the Wachau is famous for a few things: cheap food, fantastic scenery and apricots. You read that right. The climate along the danube makes it perfect to grow (and harvest) apricots. Every year my love and I drive there and buy a bucket full of sweet, ripe and super delicious fruits. While I eat most of them fresh and as a snack during the day (better than peaches and nectarines because they are not so juicy that your fingers drip), I thought I also try to preserve some of them to enjoy them even longer.

However I don’t like apricot jams where only the color reminds of the fruits it’s supposedly stems from. So I made this apricot spread that’s more like a fruit puree.

All you need is:
– 1 kg ripe apricots
– 1/2 kg sugar

Wash the apricots and cut them into pieces. Put them into a large pot and season with the sugar. Let it infuse for at least 30 mins (best is an hour) and heat. Stir constantly until the fruits almost dissolve.

Meanwhile wash the mason jars with cooking hot water to sterilize them.

Take the hot fruit mush and mix it until you have a puree. Fill into the jars while still hot and close them. Let it cool completely.

It’s now one of my favorite breakfast: freshly toasted bread with butter and this apricot spread. With a cup of iced tea it gets me into the right mood for the day.

However I try to experiment with more than just the usual use: I also stirred it into some greek yoghurt and oh my is that delicious! (This jam might be gone almost as quickly as the fresh apricots…)

What else can I pair it with? Do you have any recommendations for me?

Now. Carry on!