Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Apricots, To Dry (French method).— Take some sound ripe not over-ripe apricots : wipe them and weigh them ; make a hole with a knife at one end, and remove the stone without dividing the fruit. Put them into cold water, and simmer until they are quite tender. Take equal quantities, by weight, of sugar and fruit, and boil it in water, allowing a cupful to each poimd. When the scum rises, put in the apricots, and let them remain until they look cpiite clear; then put all into a jar, and let it remain until the next day, when the syrup must be drained off, boiled for five or ten minutes, and poured again over the fruit, to remain another twenty -four hours. This process must be repeated three times. Then the liquor must be drawn from them for the last time, and the apricots placed separately on dishes, and dried very slowly. Time to make, five days. Apricots, To Preserve (AVhole or in Halves). — Take four pounds of fine apricots which are not fully ripe. Let them be gathered, if possible, in the morning, when the sun is on them, as the flavour is then much the best; make a small slit with a knife at the end where the stalk has been, and push the stone gently out. If they are to be preserved in halves, the stone can be easily removed. Throw them into cold water, and simmer them gently until they feel soft when a pin is pushed through them. Take them out and put them in fresh cold water. Put into a preserving-pan one quart of water and four pounds of loaf sugar. Put it on a moderate fire, and stir it until the sugar is dissolved. When it boils, put in a tablespoonful of cold water ; when it boils up again, take it off the fire and let it stand for a few minutes to settle. Talce off the scum, and boil it again. Drain the fruit, and put it into the syrup ; let it boil up four or five times, eveiy time taking it off to cool, when it must be well skimmed. The last time, let it remain until the fruit is quite clear, which will be in about fifteen minutes. Just before it is taken from the fire, blanch and shce a few of the kernels and add them to it ; or they may be blanched, and put into a little spirit until the jars are ready to be tied up, and then a few strewn at the top of each. This plan may be followed in preserving whole many of the better kinds of APil (30) ARR / fruit— such as peaches, nectarines, greengages, pears, etc. Apricots with Bavarian Blancmange.— Put an ounce of isinglass in a cupful of Avatcr. Let it soak twenty minutes, then boil it until dissolved in a saucepan with, a pint of cream or new milk. Squeeze the juice of a lemon over a tea-cupful of apricot jam, and mix with it very gradually four table-spoonfuls of milk. Stir all together for a few minutes ; strain through coarse muslin, and when nearly cold, put it into a mould which has been previously soaked in water. Let it stand twelve hours in a cool place. Time to boU the mixture, five minutes.