I’m mixing the true traditions of Larder Love here with my love of Greek cooking in this Spiced Apricot Spoon Sweet which is a traditional type of Greek preserve that is served just by the spoonful (hence the name) with a cup of strong Greek coffee after a meal or when guests come to call.
Sunshine by the spoonful
Just look at the gorgeous sunshine golden colour of this spoon sweet and don’t you just love that name, a spoon sweet, so much more poetic than jam, jelly or conserve, isn’t it.
How to serve your spoon sweets
The Greeks make spoon sweets out of all sorts of fruits and even vegetables and these charming and tasty little delicacies are traditionally brought out and served when visitors came to call.
I like to serve mine either as a little dessert (this is very sweet so a little goes a long way) on its own after a meal with a cup of strong Greek coffee (or go for espresso), or stirred into Greek yogurt to lift it into another dimension.
You can also add a spoonful of this sweet fruity syrup to the bottom of a champagne glass and top it up with bubbles of choice!
Get spicy
I love the spiciness of this spoon sweet as apricots on their own though delicious can sometimes need just a little boost on the flavour side, so adding vanilla, cinnamon and star anise really lifts their flavour and makes this spiced apricot spoon sweet really pack a punch and tickle those taste buds.
Remember to sterilise your jars before use. I made one big jar but you could get 2 smaller jars from this recipe.
So there you are, a wee touch of Greek style Larder Love from me over here in Crete.
Kali Orexi!
Karon x
- 500g/1lb 2 oz fresh apricots
- 250g/9 oz granulated sugar
- 150ml/5 fl oz water
- 1 lemon juiced
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 vanilla pod
- Cut the apricots in half and remove the stones
- Heat the water and sugar in a pan on a gentle heat until the sugar has completely dissolved and simmer for 10 minutes to create a syrup
- Add the apricot halves, cinnamon stick, star anise and the vanilla pod making sure you slit it in half lengthways first and scoop out seeds into pan as well as stick
- Cook for 10 minutes or until the apricots are soft and tender but not gone to mush
- Remove from heat, cover pan and set aside for 24 hours
- Remove the apricots and all spices with a slotted spoon, discard spices and set aside the apricots
- Boil the syrup and bring to 110C/230F which will take about 10 minutes
- Remove from heat, add the lemon juice and the apricots and stir gently.
- Ladle into sterile jars.
- Keeps for up to 4 months in the fridge
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