Makes about 2½ cups/800 g lekvar
LEKVAR IS A COARSE, THICK JAM WITH HUNGARIAN ROOTS, AND WORKS BEAUTIFULLY as a filling for kolacky, kolache, cookies, and pastries of just about any origin. This recipe makes a lot, but any leftovers freeze beautifully. This same method can be used for dried cherries, prunes, and figs, adjusting the sugar, acid, and flavorings to taste to suit the sweetness of the fruit.
1 pound/450 g dried apricots
⅔ cup/132 g granulated sugar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of fine sea salt
1 to 1½ teaspoons orange blossom water, to taste
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
In a 3-quart/2.8 L lidded saucepan, place the apricots and cover with them water by about 1 inch/2.5 cm. Cover, place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes. Remove the lid, add the sugar, lemon juice, and salt, and stir to combine. Replace the lid. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is softened, about 20 minutes.
Remove the lid from the pan and continue to simmer, stirring often, until the excess liquid has evaporated and the lekvar becomes thick and jammy and breaks down easily with a fork, about 10 minutes more. Transfer the contents of the pan to a food processor or blender. Blend until nearly smooth. Add 1 teaspoon of the orange blossom water and the vanilla. Blend for 30 seconds more. Taste, adding more orange blossom water, if you like. Pour the lekvar into a heatproof container and let cool. uncovered. at room temperature. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 1 year.