Greek Spiced Apricot Spoon Sweets (stafyli gliko)
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Get the sweet taste of greece with this delightful Greek spiced apricot spoon sweets. This traditional greek preserve tastes just like sunshine captured in a jar.
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.
Spoon sweets are served just by the spoonful (hence the name) with a cup of strong Greek coffee after a meal or when guests come to call.
What are 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.
They are served alongside a glass of water and very often Greek coffee.
Every island has it’s own seciality of spoon sweets. Here in Crete grape spoon sweets are the most popular.
Meanwhile in nearby Santorini they use their wonderful tomatoes to make delicious tomato spoon sweets.
How to serve spiced apricot spoon sweets
I like to serve my apricot spoon sweet 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).
You can also use this spoon sweet stirred into Greek yogurt to lift it into another dimension.
Try these spoon sweets on an antipasti platter, the apricot goes really well with cured meats.
Use as a glaze when rasting chicken, ham or pork.
This spoon sweet is also great added to some Asian inspired dishes when you want that delicious sweet fruity taste.
Or 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 touch of heat in these spiced apricot spoon sweets. Apricots on their own though delicious can sometimes need just a little boost on the flavour side.
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.
How much does recipe make?
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!
New to preserving? Then don’t panic, I can take you from zero to hero in no time at all.
Just check out these handy articles to get you heading in the right direction fast;
How to make great jam and marmalade
How to make chutney and relish
How to sterilise jars and bottles
Looking for more sweet treats that are just a little bit different? Then check these out before you go;
Spanish style spiced cherry cheese
Spicy Kumquat and almond conserve
Super easy spiced lemons for tea
Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest and sign up for my newsletter too of course.
Greek spiced apricot spoon sweets
Ingredients
- 500 g apricots fresh
- 250 g granulated sugar
- 150 ml water
- 1 lemon juice
- 1/2 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 vanilla pod
Instructions
- Cut the apricots in half and remove the stones/pits
- 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.
Apricots are hard to come by here outside of a few peak weeks in mid-summer summer (and an odd week such as this week!), this is a great way way to preserve the season! I’ve made these before and will be making a double batch tomorrow.
Hi Vanessa, So glad you like this recipe so much.
K