Truly scrumptious...

Yesterday we had a power cut - we knew it was coming, the electricity board wrote and told us. They needed to install a new transformer and deal with overhanging branches on cables along the lane, but we forgot - as we often do and had started numerous jobs involving electricity! They came to an abrupt halt at 9.30 yesterday morning

But, not this job. This job carried on. Making apricot jam the French way. Lots of apricots seeping for hours in sugar, vanilla, lemon juice

and if you have the energy and patience

blanched apricot kernels. I whacked the stones with a hammer to remove the kernels and blanched them in boiling water for a minute to remove the skins. 'Boiling water....' I hear you say! But all was made possible with a small gas cartridge and screw in 'thingy' for a saucepan to stand on, perfect for power cut days when kernels need to be blanched

And that's it, apricots, sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and kernels waiting for the electricity to come back on

and while they waited they went gooey and syrupy and gave off a wonderful aroma of vanilla and almonds and summery apricots

They waited until 4.30 in the afternoon when the house suddenly sprung in to action with whirring and bleeping noises loud music and vacuum cleaner sounds. I turned up the heat under the saucepan and boiled the apricots for twenty minutes until thick.

You must make this jam...well, only if you like apricots and jam that is!  It is neither too set nor too sweet and the vanilla and added kernels really do make a difference.

I don't think you need a power cut to achieve this 'yummy' jam, just the patience to wait until the apricots have really softened.
Here is the recipe explained properly