Apricot preserve
Tsirani muraba: whole Ararat Valley apricots in syrup
The apricot is Armenia's national fruit, and in July families in the Ararat Valley villages around Artashat and Masis cook whole ones slowly in syrup so they keep their shape and turn translucent, sometimes slipping a peeled kernel back inside each fruit. The jars come out on winter evenings, served in tiny glass bowls with black tea or coffee. A common mistake is boiling the fruit hard, which breaks it into jam. Chef's tip: cook in short spells, resting the pan overnight between them; the syrup seeps in slowly and the apricots stay whole and glossy. Bitter kernels contain a natural toxin, so use sweet almonds instead.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
For the preserve
- 2 ¼ lb firm, ripe apricots
- 30 blanched almondsor sweet apricot kernels
- 1 ¾ lb sugar
- 1 ¼ cups water
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Wash 2 ¼ lb firm, ripe apricots and prick each a few times with a toothpick. Push out the stone through the stalk end with a chopstick, keeping the fruit whole, and push one of the 30 blanched almonds into each hollow.
Step 2: Heat 1 ¾ lb sugar and 1 ¼ cups water in a wide pan, stirring, until dissolved, then boil for 3 minutes.
5 minStep 3: Slide the apricots into the syrup, bring back to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes, then take off the heat. Cover with a cloth and leave for 6–8 hours.
5 minStep 4: Repeat the 5-minute simmer and long rest twice more. Common mistake: boiling them in one go; they collapse.
10 minStep 5: On the last simmer add 2 tbsp lemon juice and cook for 10–15 minutes, until the syrup coats a spoon thickly and the fruit is translucent.
15 minStep 6: Spoon into hot, sterilised jars and seal. Keeps for a year in a cool, dark cupboard.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 35 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does apricot preserve take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
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