Vanille

Apricot Jam with Madagascar Vanilla

Apricot jam cooked with sugar and a Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pod, to keep in well-sterilised jars.

  • Prep 20 min
  • Cooking 35 min
  • Total 55 min
  • Difficulty Easy

Jam is a preparation of fruit cooked with sugar until it reaches a thick texture that allows it to keep in jars. This apricot jam is flavoured with a Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pod, Vanille Désiré.

Our family grows and prepares this vanilla in the SAVA region, in north-eastern Madagascar. The split pod infuses the cooking with its seeds, then is removed before potting. This recipe makes about 3 jars, in a little over an hour including the macerating time.

Method

Preparation

  1. Wash and sterilise the jars intended for the jam, in boiling water or a hot oven, along with their lids.
  2. Wash the apricots, remove the stones and cut them into halves.
  3. In a jam pan or a large thick-bottomed saucepan, arrange the apricots, pour the sugar and lemon juice over them. Split the vanilla pod in half, scrape out the seeds and add them with the scraped pod.
  4. Mix gently and leave to macerate in a cool place for about 2 hours, so the fruit releases its juice.
  5. Bring to the boil while stirring, then cook over low heat for about 35 minutes, stirring regularly, until the jam sets.
  6. Remove the scraped vanilla pod. Pour the hot jam into the sterilised jars, close immediately and leave to cool before storing.
Chef's tip

The little extra that changes everything

Always sterilise the jars and their lids before filling them, and pour the jam in while it is still hot: this simple step protects the preparation. Let the jars cool before storing them in a dry place, away from light. To find out more about vanilla, see our page on how to use a vanilla pod. Our products for this recipe: Madagascar Bourbon vanilla pods

Frequently asked questions

About this recipe

Do the apricots need to be peeled before cooking?
No, the recipe washes and stones the apricots without peeling them.
Can this jam be made ahead?
Yes, once in sterilised, closed jars, it is stored in a dry place until opened.
Can the amount of sugar be reduced?
The amount given falls within the usual range for apricot jam; it can be adjusted depending on how ripe the fruit is and the taste wanted.
In the kitchen

Four moves with one bean

What to do with a whole bean, from the first cut to the sugar jar.

01 Split 30 s

Knife tip halfway through, one single pass along the whole length.

02 Scrape 1 min

Scrape both halves with a spoon. That black is the flavour.

03 Infuse 20 min

Seeds and bean into the hot milk, off the heat, covered.

Vanilla beans laid on a white plate
04 Reuse 1 week

Rinse the emptied bean, let it dry, then slip it into the sugar.

One bean serves twice
Exceptional ingredients

Our products for this recipe

Other recipes

Also worth discovering