Preserved Sweetmeats, Wet

Ingredients

• green apricots (the size of a small walnut)
• coarse sea salt
• water
• sugar (for syrup)
• apple jelly

Directions

1. Place green apricots in a bag with a lot of coarse sea salt and shake to remove the silkiness from the skin.

2. Remove apricots from the bag and place them in a large pan with water over low heat to scald them until soft.

3. Drain the apricots through a sieve and prepare a flat preserving pan with a thin syrup boiling.

4. Add apricots to the syrup, ensuring they are not crowded and are fully covered.

5. Boil the syrup with apricots for about 15 minutes, then remove and place in a flat earthen pan covered with paper.

6. The next day, boil the apricots for another 30 minutes; if they look good, drain the syrup through a sieve.

7. Boil the syrup for 20 minutes, then return the apricots for 2-3 more boils.

8. Transfer apricots back to the flat pan, keeping them covered with syrup.

9. When the syrup thickens and the apricots look good, pack them into pots and cover the tops with a little apple jelly once cooled.