Last years batch was to thin, but I don't want to use flour/cornflour type products. What can I change to the recipe this year to make it thicker?

Apricot Sauce
6lb Apricots (2.7kg)
2 pints Vinegar (940ml)
2lb Sugar (0.9kg)
1/2 tsp ground chilli powder
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cloves
1 ½ tsp Salt
1 small tsp black pepper
2 onions
Boil all together for one hour, strain (mouli) and put back in pot.
Bring back to boil, cool and bottle.

Is the ripeness of the apricots a factor? Or something else. I'm sure it was okay the batch before last. I want it kinda like the thickness of store bought tomato sauce, but it was more like a vinegar with small particles in it last time.

hjrtraders - 2020-01-12 19:40:00

Boil for longer and make sure you boil without a lid so it reduces.
You could try slightly less vinegar and sugar too.

geldof - 2020-01-12 21:26:00

Yes, boil it down more, but watch it!

rainrain1 - 2020-01-13 07:48:00

A lot of fruit growers load the ground around their fruit trees with water just before picking time. This gets the weight, up but results in watery tasteless fruit that is so common in Supermarkets and Fruit Shops today. It is often picked before maturity so it will 'travel' hence the lack of flavour.
The only Sauce I make is Plum (from our own mature Black Doris's)
I test it just the same as Jam (on a cold plate in the fridge) and at the end barely simmer it until I have the right consistency.

snapperheadrkp - 2020-01-13 12:44:00

Trying boling down for a longer period of time than what the recipe states and try using the saucer method to see if its going to set okay Good luck :)

teddiesbearall - 2020-01-13 13:27:00

rainrain1 wrote:

Yes, boil it down more, but watch it!

This, but I use the crockpot, to save the risk of burning.....

Bring to simmer on high, then leave the lid off, stirring at least every five minutes, until reduced to sauce consistency.

autumnwinds - 2020-01-13 20:13:00

snapperheadrkp wrote:

A lot of fruit growers load the ground around their fruit trees with water just before picking time. This gets the weight, up but results in watery tasteless fruit that is so common in Supermarkets and Fruit Shops today. It is often picked before maturity so it will 'travel' hence the lack of flavour.
The only Sauce I make is Plum (from our own mature Black Doris's)
I test it just the same as Jam (on a cold plate in the fridge) and at the end barely simmer it until I have the right consistency.

I don't buy supermarket fruit for that reason. I always buy straight from the growers at the farmers market. The apricots i buy are gorgeous flavourful fruit.... usually Moorpark, but they are later in the season.

Edited by hjrtraders at 10:27 pm, Mon 13 Jan

hjrtraders - 2020-01-13 22:27:00

Thanks guys... I'll try boiling it longer.

hjrtraders - 2020-01-13 22:28:00

autumnwinds wrote:

This, but I use the crockpot, to save the risk of burning.....

Bring to simmer on high, then leave the lid off, stirring at least every five minutes, until reduced to sauce consistency.

Good on you, but that would be too slow for me. They say a watched pot never boils, but sometimes you've just gotta watch it.

Edited by rainrain1 at 6:54 am, Tue 14 Jan

rainrain1 - 2020-01-14 06:52:00