Sophie Grigson's Spalmabile di Albicocche Con Miele e Zafferano
Ingredients
Method
Step 1
Put two saucers in the freezer to chill down. Quarter the apricots and discard stones. Cut out any bruised or discoloured parts. Pile into a large saucepan. Add the lemon juice and 100 ml water.
Step 2
Place over a moderate heat, cover and bring to a boil. Remove the lid and stir. Simmer for 10-20 minutes until the apricots are soft and mushy. Put the saffron into a small bowl and stir in 1 tablespoon hot water. Set aside until needed.
Step 3
Let the mixture cool slightly then either rub through a sieve, or a mouli-legumes, or whizz to a puree in a food processor.
Step 4
Rinse out the saucepan then scrape the puree back into it. Add the honey, caster sugar and the lemon zest. Stir the mixture together over a medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Raise the heat and boil, stirring frequently to prevent catching, until the mixture is very thick.
Step 5
The line left when you drag a spoon through it should stay clearly visible for a good 10 seconds or more. Timing-wise we’re looking at around 15-20 minutes, but it could be longer if you began with a runnier puree.
Step 6
Let it sit for a minute, then nudge it with your finger. If it wrinkles a little, it’s done. If not return the pan to the heat and cook for another 5 minutes or so before testing again. Once it is done, stir in the saffron water together with all the strands.
Step 7
Ladle into the hot sterilised jam jars. If you have waxed jam discs, cover the surface of the jam with these, smoothing down gently to expel trapped air.
Step 8
If not, seal the jars and quickly turn them upside down. Leave to cool. Turn them back up the right way, label and then store in a cool dark cupboard until you are ready to dig in.
Sterilising Jam Jars: Step 1
Pre-heat the oven to 160C/Fan 150/Gas 3. Wash jam jars and lids in warm soapy water. Rinse, then place jars upside down on a rack in the oven for around 15 minutes, to dry and heat through.
Step 2
If the lids are pure metal, put them in the oven too. More likely they will have a plastic lining, in which case simmer for 10 minutes in boiling water before using. Fill and seal the jars while they are still hot.
