Apricot and rosemary jam

Jam sugar - which contains pectin, a kind of naturally occurring or commercially made acid - is the beginner jam-maker’s secret weapon because it speeds up the process no end and pretty much guarantees that the jam will set. The pine-y, woody notes of rosemary add depth to the apricots and stop it from tasting too sweet. Once you’ve had enough of this jam on toast, try it in a marinade for chicken or pork, or with cheese. Jam usually relies on a 1:1 ratio of fruit to sugar - the extra weight of the apricots here allows for their stones.

Ingredients

850 g	Ripe apricots, washed and dried
750 g	Jam sugar
3 sprigs	Fresh rosemary, 10cm
1 tsp	Butter

Directions

1. Put a saucer or small plate in the freezer before you start - you'll use this to test the jam's "set" later. Wash and dry three or four jars and lids and put them in a 120C oven for 10 minutes so they're hot and ready when the jam is cooked.
2. Chop the apricots roughly and discard the stones. Put them in a heavy, wide pot with the sugar and rosemary. Set over low heat. Stir constantly, mashing the fruit and sugar together with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the sugar dissolves.
3. When the sugar is liquid, stir in the butter and allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil. Boil for four minutes (if you have a thermometer, it should be 104C), then remove from the heat. Put a spoonful of the mixture on the chilled saucer and leave to set for a minute. If it wrinkles when you push the surface with a finger, the jam is ready. If not, return the jam to the heat (and the saucer to the freezer) and boil again for a minute. Try the wrinkle test again - it should be done.
4. When the jam is ready, remove from the heat. Pull out the rosemary stalks and set aside. Ladle jam into the hot jars and seal immediately. Store in a cool place.