Apricots are a sweet and delicious fruit. They generally ripen between late July and early August, and if you're lucky enough to have an apricot tree in your garden, chances are you'll be able to harvest a good number. If you are concerned that they may go bad before you can eat them all, you can freeze them easily and enjoy them at any time of the year.
Ingrediants
Freeze the Apricots in Pieces
- 1 liter of lemon or pineapple juice
- Sugar (optional)
- Waterfall
Freeze the Apricot Puree
- 85-115 g of sugar (optional)
- 60 ml of water
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Blanch and Slice the Ripe Apricots
Step 1. Select fruits that are fully ripe, but still firm
Pressing a ripe apricot between your fingers should feel it give way slightly, but without being soggy. You can also evaluate if they are ripe by smelling the side with the stalk, if they are ready you will smell a sweet scent.
- The outer color can change according to the variety, but in general a ripe apricot should not have any parts that are still green.
- Discard fruits with large bruises as they will most likely have a mushy texture and little flavor.
Step 2. Soak the apricots in a solution prepared with three parts water and one part vinegar
Washing them serves to eliminate any bacteria present on the peel. Then rinse the fruits under cold running water and then pat them gently with a cloth to dry them.
Washing the apricots before boiling them serves to preserve the pulp from contaminants
Step 3. Blanch the apricots if you intend to freeze them with the peel
Pour the water into a large pot and bring it to a boil, then blanch the apricots for 30-60 seconds. This process is to prevent the peel from hardening in the freezer.
- Don't leave apricots in boiling water for too long, especially if you don't intend to blend them.
- If you prefer to peel them, you do not need to blanch them, although this process allows you to remove the peel more easily.
- If there are a lot of apricots, it is better to blanch them several times, calculating the quantities based on the size of the pot.
Step 4. Transfer the apricots to an ice water bath immediately after blanching
After leaving them immersed in boiling water for 30-60 seconds, drain them with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer them to a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process. Then drain them from the water and dab them with a cloth to dry them.
Step 5. Peel the apricots if you prefer to freeze only the pulp
If you have blanched them or if they are very ripe, you should be able to peel the peel easily using just your fingers. Otherwise you can use a small pointed knife.
If you intend to prepare an apricot puree, it is essential to peel them
Step 6. Cut the apricots in half and remove the stones
Use a sharp small knife to open the fruit and gently peel the kernels from the pulp. If the fruits are very ripe, chances are you will be able to open them even using only your hands, by rotating the two halves in opposite directions. Once opened, you can remove the stones with your fingers or a spoon.
If you don't intend to cook apricots, you can leave them cut in half or you can slice them into smaller pieces
Method 2 of 3: Freeze the Apricots
Step 1. Dip apricots in lemon or pineapple juice
Since the pulp tends to darken when left exposed to air, it is best to soak the fruit in lemon or pineapple juice to keep it bright in color.
- You can also use the juice of another citrus fruit or dissolve some ascorbic acid in water, but lemon or pineapple juice will give apricots a pleasant taste and are also easy to find.
- Only a few drops of juice will be needed for each apricot, so in total one liter should be enough for a moderate amount of fruit.
Step 2. Arrange the apricots inside the freezer containers
It is best to use airtight plastic ones, especially if you intend to add syrup. Arrange them next to each other, taking care not to crush them.
- Leave at least 1 cm of empty space at the top of the container so that the apricots can expand during the freezing process.
- If you don't intend to add syrup, you can also put them in freezer bags.
Step 3. Label the containers specifying the content type and preparation date
You can use an adhesive label or a permanent marker. Specify that these are apricots because, once sliced and frozen, you may find it hard to distinguish them from other fruits. Also include the preparation date in order to calculate the due date accordingly.
Fresh apricots, without syrup, will keep good for up to three months
Step 4. Cover them with syrup if you want them to last longer
Follow this simple recipe: prepare a mixture of 80% water and 20% sugar, mix and bring the syrup to a boil, then pour it over the apricots you have placed inside the plastic containers for the freezer. Use 250 ml of syrup for every kilogram of pitted apricots.
- This step is not necessary, but it is useful to make apricots last longer and to preserve their flavor.
- If you have added syrup, you can keep the apricots in the freezer for up to twelve months.
Method 3 of 3: Freeze the Apricot Puree
Step 1. Cut the apricots into small pieces
After washing, peeling and removing the stones, it's time to slice them. Since they will be cooked before blending, try to cut them into evenly sized pieces, but don't worry about them being regular.
Step 2. Simmer the apricots
Put them in a saucepan and add 4 tablespoons of water for every 450 g of apricots. Keep the pot covered and use medium-low heat. Let them simmer until they have softened.
The time required varies according to the degree of ripeness of the fruits, but in general they will have to cook about 5-15 minutes
Step 3. Add sugar if you want to sweeten the puree
Apricots have a tart aftertaste that you can balance by adding 80-120g of sugar. Stir with a long wooden spoon to distribute the sugar better and let the apricots simmer until completely dissolved.
As an alternative to white sugar, you can use cane sugar or honey
Step 4. Let the apricots cool before blending them
When they have reached room temperature, transfer them to the blender or food processor container and turn them into a more or less coarse puree, according to your taste.
If you prefer, you can mash the apricots with a potato masher. You will get a purée with a more rustic texture, but just as tasty
Step 5. Pour the puree into the plastic containers, without filling them completely
During the freezing process, the liquids inside the fruit will expand, so leave 1 cm of free space at the top of the containers to prevent the puree from pressing against the lid.
