Peach Apricot Jam with Lavender (Canning Recipe)
Make peach apricot jam with lavender using a small amount of pectin for a soft French-style confiture set. Includes canning instructions for water bath and steam canners.
Servings: 5 half-pint (~250 ml) jars
Cost: $3.50
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- potato masher
- Immersion blender optional
- Half-pint canning jars with lids and bands
- water bath or atmospheric steam canner
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh peaches - 907 g - pitted and sliced, skins on
- 1.5 lbs fresh apricots - 680 g - halved and pitted, skins on
- 3.75 cups granulated sugar - 750 g - calculated at about 65% of fruit weight after reduction, divided
- 1.5 tbsp powdered fruit pectin - 15 g - standard/classic formula, not low-sugar
- 0.25 cup fresh lemon juice - 45 ml - about 1 large lemon, or bottled for consistent acidity
- 2 tbsp dried culinary English lavender buds - 6 g - Lavandula angustifolia, up to 3 tbsp
Instructions
First Mash and Overnight Macerate (Day 1, Evening)
- Cut the peaches into rough chunks of various sizes, leaving the skins on. Combine with 1 cup (200 g) of the sugar in the pot and mash with a potato masher to start releasing juice.
- Add the lemon juice, halved and pitted apricots (skins on), and lavender buds. Mash again to bring everything into one juicy, mostly-broken-down mixture.
- Cover and let macerate overnight at room temperature.
First Quick Cook (Day 2, Morning)
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for just 5–7 minutes to soften the fruit further without reducing it heavily.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let it rest at room temperature until evening.
Second Cook (Day 2, Evening)
- Bring the mixture to a full boil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring in another 1½ cups (300 g) of sugar partway through.
- Remove from heat and let cool to concentrate overnight until morning (optional step; skip to the next step if short on time).
Blend and Final Cook
- Using an immersion blender directly in the pot, pulse briefly to blend the mixture slightly, leaving plenty of fruit pieces intact.
- Return the pot to the heat, whisk the remaining 1¼ cups (250 g) of sugar into the pectin in a small bowl until evenly combined, then stir the pectin-sugar mixture into the pot.
- Bring back to a boil and cook for 10–15 minutes until a cold plate wrinkle test shows the jam has set.
Jar and Process
- Ladle the hot confiture into prepared, warm half-pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims clean, apply lids, and screw bands on fingertip-tight.
- Process using your preferred water bath or atmospheric steam canning method according to standard altitude processing times.