French Receipt.)
From Modern cookery for private families (1882).
A historical recipe
Modern cookery for private families, by Eliza Acton and University of Leeds. Library (1882).
France
Known as a French recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.
From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.
- Preserving. Old preserving methods may not make food safe to keep. Use current tested guidance.
Ingredients 1 ingredient
Cook safely
Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.
- Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
- Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.
Method
Chef Wood
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- Take apricots which have attained their full growth and colour, but before they begin to soften ;
- weigh, and wipe them lightly ;
- make a small incision across the top of ea^ plum, pass the point of a knife through the stalk end, and gently push out the stones without breaking the fruit ;
- next, put the apricots into a preserving-pan, with suflBcient cold water to float them easily ;
- place it over a moderate fire, and when it begins to boil, should the apricots be quite tender, lift them out and throw them into more cold water, but simmer them, otherwise, until they are so.
- Take the same weight of sugar that there was of the fruit before it was stoned, and boil it for ten minutes with a quart of water to the four pounds ;
- skim the syrup carefully, throw in the apricots (which should previously be well drained on a soft cloth, or on a sieve), simmer them for one minute, and set them by in it until the following day, then drain it from them, boil it for ten minutes, and pour it on them the instant it is taken from the fire ;
- in forty-eight hours repeat the process, and when the syrup has boiled ten minutes, put in the apricots, and simmer them from two to four minutes, or until they look quite clear.
- They may be stored in the syrup until wanted for drying, or drained from it, laid separately on slates or dishes, and dried very gradually: the blanched kernels may be put inside the fruit, or added to the syrup.
- Apricots, 4 lbs., scalded until tender ;
- sugar 4 lbs.
- ;
- water, 1 quart : 10 minutes.
- Apricots, in syrup, 1 minute ;
- left 24 hours.
- Syrup, boiled again, 10 minutes, and poured on fruit : stand 2 days.
- Syrup, boiled again, 10 minutes, and apricots 2 to 4 minutes, or until clear.
Plating
Cookware for this recipe
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Saucepan
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Chef's knife
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Slotted spoon
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Sieve
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Colander