Apricot & Maraschino Cherry Preserves

Name: Apricot & Maraschino Cherry Preserves
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Yield: 5 half-pints.
Ingredients: 2-2/3 cups water; 2 cups dried apricots or dried peaches, halved; 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, undrained; 2-1/2 cups sugar; 3 tablespoons lemon juice; 1 jar (6 ounces) red maraschino cherries, halved and patted dry; 1 jar (6 ounces) green maraschino cherries, halved and patted dry

This chunky spread is so colorful and festive--like fruitcake in a jar! The maraschino cherries, canned pineapple and dried apricots are fruits that are readily available year-round.

Ingredients

2-2/3 cups water
2 cups dried apricots or dried peaches, halved
1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, undrained
2-1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 jar (6 ounces) red maraschino cherries, halved and patted dry
1 jar (6 ounces) green maraschino cherries, halved and patted dry

Directions

Place water and apricots in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes or until liquid is almost evaporated. Stir in pineapple, sugar and lemon juice. Cook and stir 35-40 minutes or until thickened.
Using a potato masher, mash fruit. Add cherries; bring to a boil. Remove from the heat; skim off foam if necessary. Carefully ladle hot mixture into five hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight.
Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Editor's Note

The processing time listed is for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. Add 1 minute to the processing time for each 1,000 feet of additional altitude.

Originally published as Cheery Cherry Morning Preserves in Taste of Home Christmas Annual 2013

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tiredofthisgame

May 5, 2014

Don't use UNSULFERED dried apricots - they stay an unappetizing brown color and the cherries and pineapple are visually lost. I can't blame the recipe for the looks I got but I can't say that I cared for the taste either. Hopefully that is just a result of the the unsulfered fruit.