Confiture d'Abricots

French apricot jam with bitter kernel: ripe Provençal apricots cooked to a deep amber set with their own cracked kernels, a spoonful of lemon juice, and no additional pectin, in the manner of the summer confitures of Provence

Origin: Provence, France

From the journey of Apricot.

The confiture d'abricots is the summer preserve of the French south, made at the height of the Provençal apricot season in July and August when the orchards of the Luberon and the Durance basin yield fruit of extraordinary fragrance and depth. The French jam-making tradition (confiturerie) is precise in its technique: the ratio of fruit to sugar, the speed of the boil, the test for set, and the correct temperature at which to pot are matters of long-established method, not improvisation. What distinguishes the apricot jam of Provence from other confitures is the traditional inclusion of a few of the apricot's own cracked kernels. The kernel of the apricot is a small, almond-like seed with a pleasantly bitter, marzipan-adjacent flavour that adds complexity and a subtle bitterness to the finished preserve, cutting through the sweetness and amplifying the fruit's own kernel note. This practice (adding the kernels back to the boiling jam) is documented in Provençal recipe books of the nineteenth century and has been kept alive in the farmhouse kitchens of the region despite being less common in commercial production. The finished jam is a deep amber-orange, intensely sweet and slightly tart, fragrant with the apricot's characteristic warm stone-fruit and almond aroma. On a thick tartine of bread with salted butter at a Provence breakfast table, it has no equal.

Ingredients

Fruit

  • 1.5 kg ripe apricots, halved and stoned; stones reserved

Sweet

  • 1.2 kg jam sugar (white caster sugar with added pectin); or 1.1 kg plain white sugar if you prefer a slightly looser set

Acid

  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Kernel

  • 8 apricot kernels (cracked from the reserved stones with a nutcracker or hammer, skin on)

Method

  1. Combine the apricot halves and sugar in a large non-reactive bowl. Mix well, cover, and leave to macerate at room temperature for at least 8 hours (overnight is better). The fruit will release its juice and the sugar will partially dissolve into a syrup.
  2. Crack the reserved apricot stones with a nutcracker or by wrapping them in a cloth and tapping firmly with a hammer. Extract the kernels inside. They will be small, almond-shaped, and slightly bitter. Set aside 8 kernels; discard the rest.
  3. Tip the macerated fruit and all its syrup into a large, wide preserving pan (a wide pan is essential for rapid evaporation and a good set). Add the lemon juice and apricot kernels. Bring slowly to the boil over medium heat, stirring to ensure the sugar is fully dissolved before the boil is reached.
  4. Once boiling, cook at a rapid, rolling boil for 10–15 minutes, stirring frequently. Test for set by spooning a small amount onto a cold saucer; push it with your finger after 1 minute — it should wrinkle and hold its shape. The jam should reach 104–105°C on a sugar thermometer.
  5. Remove from the heat once set is achieved. Skim off any surface foam. Allow to sit for 5 minutes (this allows the fruit to suspend evenly rather than rise to the surface in the jars).
  6. Ladle into warm, sterilised jars, ensuring a kernel or two reaches each jar. Seal immediately with clean lids. The jam will keep for at least 12 months in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate once opened.

Notes

The quality of the apricots determines everything. A confiture d'abricots made with cold-stored, underripe supermarket apricots is a dull thing. Made with fully ripe, fragrant summer apricots at peak season (Bergeron, Rouge du Roussillon, or any good local variety) it is one of the finest preserves that can be made. The apricot kernel trick: if using plain white sugar (no added pectin), increase the lemon juice to 3 tablespoons; the additional citric acid will help achieve the set that jam sugar provides chemically. Some Provençal cooks add a small split vanilla pod to the boiling jam, which is a lovely variation.

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