Fresh Apricot/Peach Jam

When stone fruit is in season and the fruit bowl is overflowing, this is the classic preserve to put up. Liquid fruit pectin does the setting work, which means you skip the long, watch-it-like-a-hawk reduction that no-pectin jams require.

The one-minute hard rolling boil is non-negotiable timing-wise. Less and the jam won’t gel, more and you cook out the fresh fruit flavor that’s the whole point of doing this in summer instead of buying a jar.

The alternating skim-and-stir at the end is the move that prevents ‘floating fruit', that classic problem where solids rise to the top of the jar leaving syrup on the bottom. Five minutes of patience here keeps every spoonful evenly studded with peaches or apricots.

Pro Tips

• Crush rather than puree the fruit. Coarsely mashed fruit gives you the homemade chunkiness that makes preserves feel artisanal.
• Add the lemon juice if your fruit is pale or low-acid, the recipe’s instinct here is right. Acid helps both the gel and the brightness.
• Use exactly the amount of sugar called for, this is a high-pectin recipe and the sugar ratio is what triggers the set.
• Sterilize jars and lids before filling, then process in a boiling water bath for 5 to 10 minutes for shelf-stable jam.
• Test the seal after 24 hours. Any unsealed jar goes straight to the fridge.

Variations

• Stir in a teaspoon of grated ginger just before jarring for warm spice.
• Add a split vanilla bean during the boil and remove before jarring.
• Mix the two fruits together half and half for a more complex apricot-peach blend with extra natural pectin support.