Apricot and Ginger Conserve

A few weeks back I made this jam the day after I saw a large pile of rosy apricots at my local market.  I just knew that they would be perfect for a batch of jam, without knowing exactly which recipe I would try out.

After leafing through half a dozen books, I chose this one from The WI's Book of Preserves...I wanted to see whether I agreed with the author's view that this was her favourite recipe in the book.  Without trying every other one, I don't think that I would very truthfully be able to comment. 

When making a new preserve which isn't just the pure fruit, and have added spices or 'bits', I usually wait with baited breath for my chief taster's opinion.....'yes its really lovely', and he liked the ginger bits too!  I of course love out of the ordinary as well as classic preserves....

Its more or less a standard Apricot Jam with equal weight prepared fruit to sugar, with kernels added and some crystallized ginger roughly chopped added.  I had 1.2 Kg fruit and added 50 g ginger.  The balance is about right, still the smooth sharpness and wonderful colour of the apricots with the occasional pocket of gingerness! 

We have had it on some of my homemade soft breakfast bread and also on yogurt and rice pudding. 

Used to cover a chocolate cake before spreading the chocolate ganache...resulted in a very classy cake.