Of all my favorite jams, Apricot Pineapple is my #1 favorite. I make a bath of this jam every summer, when fresh apricots make an appearance. I love it, best, on my morning toast.
Today, I am headed to Los Altos Hills, California. It’s a 90 minute drive, north, to my cousin’s house. I am really excited about this day, for several reasons:
I’m on Day #6 of vacation, with 20 more to go.
Today, she is going to show me how she makes her German Apricot Cream Pie. I’ve never had it, but she says it has a sour cream topping. SOLD!
I’ve already made Ursula’s (isn’t that a cool German name– say it, OOR-SOO-LAH) Bavarian Rohr Nudeln (try and say that one…). Everything she makes is really good.
I’m bringing her a jar of my Apricot-Pineapple jam. This is gold, ladies and gentleman. After reading several different recipes, I concocted my own recipe. I got the ratio of apricots and pineapple just right. Darn if my husband hasn’t change his favorite morning toast and jam from olallieberry to my apricot-pineapple. I have to make more!
Here’s how I made it– start with fresh pineapple. Please. They aren’t that expensive to buy. I let my ripen on my window sill for a day or two.
By the way, get one of these:
It’s a pineapple slicer, and it will make your life a lot easier. You can find them on Amazon.com, Williams-Sonoma or Cooking.com. You just cut off the top of the pineapple, screw it in, pull out and you get sliced pineapple– the core is in the center of the slicer. Just toss it away and you’re read. Why buy canned pineapple?
I take shortcuts (except for processed foods and boxed mixes). In my food processor, I pulsed the pineapple. I wanted it chopped, but not pureed. Just a few pulses:
For the apricots, I decided I wanted the skins off– though some recipes left them on. This is easy.
- Start a pot of water boiling
- Cut an “X” on the bottom of each apricot.
- Prepare an ice bath.
- Dunk the apricots into the boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
Remove with a slotted spoon into the ice bath for a few minutes.
Take your thumbs, and on the “X” slip the skins right off. It’s that easy. The pits came right out, too.
Again, in my food processor, I pulsed the apricots. I wanted 5 cups of apricots and one cup of pineapple = 6 cups total fruit. I reserved the juice from both fruits, which equals 3/4 cups.
In a big pot, I added the fruit, fruit juice, one box of fruit pectin (I used MCP low-sugar pectin) and 1 1/2 cups sugar. I allowed that to come to a boil, and then slowly added the 4 1/2 cups sugar.
I won’t post pictures of how I cooked the fruit, because it’s exactly how I posted how to make strawberry jam. Quickly, the fruit was brought to a rolling boil (212F). I did the plate test, to make sure it had jelled. You can click here, if you’d like to see step-by-step how to make jam.
TASTING NOTES: This jam is amazing, I tell you! One bite gives you the sweet taste of apricot, with just the right amount of pineapple… it compliments the fruit, but does not overpower it. I so wanted to make apricot bars, today, but I want to wait until I have more jam. I only have 5 pints (in half pints) and I can see that these will disappear fast. I definitely plan to make turnovers with puff pastry, with these.
I’m going to blog about Ursula’s Apricot Cream Pie (“Rahm Kuchen”). She’s such a good sport, and she laughed when I said I wanted to do this. She’s one of the last of my surviving German line of relatives. I don’t want anymore heirloom recipes to disappear.
Homemade Apricot Pineapple Jam
Equipment
- Water bath canning pot and rack.
- Clean jars, lids and rims.
- Clean towels, long tongs and a jar lifter (or tongs with rubber grips)
- Pot of water for metal lids and rims.
- Bowl of ice water (to remove apricot skins)
Ingredients
- 5 cups of apricots (approximately 12 apricots, skins removed and pitted, about 4 pounds) and chopped
- 1 medium sized pineapple peel and core removed (about 1 cup)
- 1 box pectin
- 6 cups sugar divided (4 1/2 cups and 1 1/2 cups)
- 1 pat butter
Instructions
PREPARE THE APRICOTS:
- To easily remove apricot skins, cut a small “x” at the bottom of each fruit.
- Gently dunk into a pot of boiling water for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove, with a slotted spoon.
- Starting with the “x”, peel the skins off by sliding with your thumbs. It’s that easy!
- UPDATE: I found a faster way to peel apricots. Cut them in half, pit them and place them (face down) onto a foil-lined baking sheet. Cut an "X" on top of each apricot, with a knife. With the rack on it's highest position, broil for 5-6 minutes.
- Remove, allow to cool until safe to hold in your hand. Grab the skin on the “x” and pull off. Easy!
- Using a food processor (or by hand, if you prefer), pulse the apricots until they are chunky smooth– not pureed. You want bits of apricot for texture.
- Strain the apricots and reserve the juice.
PREPARE THE PINEAPPLE:
- NOTE: I used fresh pineapple. You could try canned, but I think fresh pineapple tastes the best.
- Trim the pineapple by removing the top, cutting off the shell and then cutting into quarters. Removing the core, is easier.
- I like to use my food processor, but you can cut the pineapple, by hand. I pulse the cut pineapple until it’s fine but not pureed.
- Strain the pineapple, reserving the juice with the apricot juice. I ended up with about 3/4 cups juice.
- In a large pot, add the fruit, box of pectin and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Combine and bring to a low boil.
- Slowly stir in the remaining sugar. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved juice. Bring to a continuous roll, stirring frequently, so it doesn't stick.
- Bring to a gel stage (approximately 10 minutes).
- I like to chill a plate in my freezer. Spoon a little of the cooked fruit on the cold plate. Run your finger through it, and see if it separates. Let is sit a minute more and feel the texture. If it gels, it’s ready.
- Pour into sterilized clean class jars with lids.
- Set the filled jars in a rack, covered by at least 2″ of boiling water. Keep the pot covered and set a timer for 10 minutes, from when the water begins to rapidly boil.
- Remove from the pot, carefully, with a jar lifter onto a clean towel.
- Listen for the “pop” of the vacuum on the lids…and/or press a finger on the top. If it’s firm, you have a good vacuum.
- If a jar is not sealed, properly, you can repeat the water bath boil method, or refrigerate this jar and eat within 2 weeks.Edit my recipe
Donna-FFW says
I am so loving these jam posts. It is so inspiring. I wanna win, how can I bribe you?
Cheryl says
I am so afraid of Apricots, I am not even sure I have eaten a raw one, how pathetic is that!
Frieda says
You are definitely becoming the jam expert!
Debinhawaii says
I love my pineapple slicer/corer too. So impressed with all the jam!
Teashop Girl says
Great pictures!
Kerstin says
Another lovely jam, it looks so tasty!
Frances says
I LOVE making jam, but have never tried this! I think I will make some as soon as I get a free weekend. Thanks!
Monica H says
I bet this combination is wonderful. I'm off to read your newer posts!
Jeannie says
What a lovely looking jam! I love pineapples and apricots a lot so I'll love this jam too! Looks so yum!
Suzana Padovano says
Dear Debby
Congratulation for your blog! Fantastic recipies!
I loved your apricot jam but to make it I need to know how much is a box of pectin in grams, cause I am brazilian.
Thanks!
basketpam says
I followed a link to this recipe for the jam from would you believe of all things a posting and recipe for Baba Au Rum! The baker of this delicious French bistro pastry uses the jam as a glaze on the cake and she states that she absolutely ADORES this recipe for the jam. All I know is that it looks incredible on the cake. I tend to use jams, preserves and even jellies more in baking (regular, not gf that I do for others) than I do like I did as a kid as jelly bread or even on ordinary toast. I have to eat gluten free now and so far I haven't discovered a gf (gluten free) bread I consider edible enough to eat just as toast. I've spent the past winter and spring reorganizing every food product, cake decorating, gingerbread house candy item, and baking ingredient into a jar or freezer bag organization system and obtaining upright freezers for ALL of the gluten free flours, whole wheat flours, nuts, coconut, and even ordinary flours, etc. I often buy AP flour and sugars in 50 pound lots. Now that this is mostly done I hope to start making my own gf breads and other pastries and when I finally find one I like then I can bake in bulk and freeze them. I have a feeling I'm going to be very glad I discovered your site. It looks very interesting. I do have one question however. Is there a link for a "printable" recipe for the jam that I missed? Or, do I need to just created my own written version in order to save it for future use? thanks!