Apricot Jam – Easy on the Sugar and Easy on You

Between the fruit trees in our yard and the nearby orchards (now subdivisions), there was always a surplus of summer fruit when I was growing up. First my mother made pies, and then jelly and jam. I remember pouring a layer of melted wax over the jelly – an old (and not very safe) method for sealing.

Now I still enjoy making jam, but usually in small batches. Last year I made cardamom fig preserves and apricot jam. When this year's crop of berries arrived from the Golan, I made blackberry jelly, raspberry preserves with berry liqueur and cherry jam.

Making jam does take time and effort. Between standing over the stove and stirring, cleaning jars and processing them in a water bath, it's definitely a project. And then there's the sugar. Jam takes a huge amount of sugar – most recipes call for equal weights of fruit and sugar.

Then I found a recipe for apricot jam that I had cut from a magazine ten years ago. (Yes, in addition to keeping recipes on my computer, I still clip and file.) It's nearly effortless and it uses just a little sugar and no pectin. (That's also good, because pectin isn't available in Israel.)

Pit and cut up the apricots. Add a small amount of sugar and lemon juice. Microwave.

Between cooking for a few minutes in the microwave, the jam cools for up to 3 hours before getting zapped a few more times. That's about it. There's no water-bath processing, so you'll have to store this jam in the refrigerator. It should last for several weeks.

Of course, I had to play around with the recipe. I used demerara sugar instead of white and added Amaretto to the first batch. The second batch has chopped candied ginger (I'm sure I used too much – but that just means more for me!) and a splash of orange juice.

Apricot season just ended here, but next week I'm hoping to try the recipe with plums.

PS We're not big jam eaters, but I still find plenty of uses for it. A small spoonful is wonderful with plain or frozen yogurt. I recently used homemade blackberry jam to fill two layers of a very simple birthday cake. I'm thinking of some apricot jam, white wine and herbs for this Shabbat's roast chicken. I also like to pour the jam into small glass jars and give them as gifts.

Microwave Apricot Jam (adapted from Sunset Magazine)

1 ¼ pounds (½ kilo) fresh apricots

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup sugar (white or demerara)

2 tablespoons Amaretto, orange-flavored liqueur or orange juice

Wash and pit the apricots. Cut them into quarters and put them into a large microwave-safe bowl. (I use an 8-cup Pyrex measuring cup.) Add the sugar and lemon juice to the apricots and mix.

Heat the mixture in the microwave, on full power, for 6 to 8 minutes, until it boils. Take it out, stir gently and let it sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Microwave the mixture again for 5 or 6 minutes, or until it comes to a full boil. Take it out, stir and let sit again for 1-3 hours.

Now stir in the liqueur or juice and microwave for 12-15 minutes, stirring every 4 minutes. You should see lots of big bubbles. Pour the jam into clean jars (I pour boiling water into them so they're sparkling clean.) Cover, cool and store in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 cups