Apricot Curd

OH ... MY ... GOODNESS ... this is tasty stuff.

I love lemon curd, but I'd never heard of apricot curd until Lena mentioned it on Saturday. She gave me the recipe (see below), and I finally got around to making it today, and I'm floored by the results. I was a little skeptical, since it sounds like apricot jam with eggs in it, which doesn't sound tasty at all. But it's amazing how creamy and pudding-like the warm results are, how rich and flavorful. I assume it will be a little firmer than pudding once it cools. Honestly, it tastes like lemon curd with apricot mixed in rather than the other way around. I'm not complaining--I love lemon curd, and this version is just a bit sweeter and more complex.

Oh, and a note to Salt Lakers, Mary Boyer still has tons of apricots, if anyone wants to try this recipe.

8 oz fresh apricots

grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1½ oz (2½ Tbsp) butter, diced

8 oz* superfine sugar (I used regular)

2 eggs, beaten

Wash the fruit and put into a pan with very little water and cook until soft. Push the mixture through a sieve into a heatproof bowl and stir in the sugar, lemon zest and juice and the butter. Place the bowl over a pan of hot (not boiling) water and cook, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the eggs and continue to cook until thick. Pour into warm, sterilised jars and cover with waxed discs and lids or cellophane covers. Store in a cool place.

*Note that this is 8 oz by weight, not volume. I expected it to be one cup, but it was considerably more than that, closer to two cups. I thought it seemed like too much sugar, so I used only 6-7 oz, and my curd is a little tart.

Any canning experts out there want to suggest processing times for longer-term storage? I'd love to give this away as Christmas gifts, but I'm a bit wary of leaving it unsealed that long. (I think modern standards even rule out the parafin seal for jams and such.)

Next time I think I'll reduce the lemon and increase the apricots. I wonder how many other fruits are curd-able?