There's many reasons to preserve fruit. The basic one of course is to make it last longer, that's what people had to do in the old days. Somewhere along the way, foodies discovered that preserves can be delicious, and you can get creative with this. Enter Alison Duffy, who wrote the cookbook Preserving with Pomono's Pectin. She stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about some of her favorite recipes, including Brandied Apricot Preserves. Chef Alison told Tonia she starts with Lemon Peel that she cooks until they're soft. She then adds fresh apricots (you can use frozen), brandy (of course!), sugar and pectin powder. It's a not overly sweet preserve that people on low-sugar diets can enjoy.
From recipelion.com
Halve the apricots and remove the stones. Crack one third of the stones and remove the kernels; blanch by dipping into hot water to remove the skins. Put the apricots, kernels, water and lemon juice in a pan and simmer until the fruit is tender. Test for pectin. When a satisfactory clot is formed, add the sugar, stir until dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly until setting point is reached, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the brandy. Remove any scum, pour into hot sterilized jars and cover
