Method:
Wash apricots and cut open to remove stones.
Cut into large even sized pieces and place into a large
saucepan. Add the sugar and the water and very gently
bring to the boil. Stir frequently and very gently to
prevent them sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Simmer until the fruit is barely soft which
should take no more than 5 minutes. It is important that the
fruit still hold its shape. If it goes to a mush it will
still taste lovely but won't look as good.
This amount would easily feed 12.
Notes:
If the apricots are small, simply cut
them into halves. The important thing is to have the
pieces pretty much all the same size or the smaller pieces
will cook before the larger ones do.
Don't be tempted to put any extra water
in the pan or the final juice will end up being too thin and
sloppy.
Stewed apricots have a tendency to change
to a brown colour wherever the surface of the fruit meets
the air. This is fine as it does not alter the flavour of
the fruit.
Food Facts:
Apricots were first found growing wild in China. They have
been around for 4,000 years. Apricots are rich in beta carotene, minerals and vitamin A plus
they are a good source of fibre.
