1 lb Dried apricots

2 oz Split almonds

3 Oranges

2 Lemons

2 1/2 lb Sugar

2 1/2 ts Ground cinnamon

Chop the apricots roughly. Put them into a large bowl, sprinkling the fine grated zest of the oranges and the cinnamon between layers. Squeeze the juice of the oranges, measure and add enough water to make 3 pints in all. Pour the liquids over the fruit and leave to soak overnight in a cool place. Slide the contents of the bowl into a preserving pan and simmer gently until the fruit is beautifully tender. Check the fruit occasionally as it cooks and crush it down into the pan with a potato masher. It may need 1-1/4 hours to become really soft.

Warm the sugar. Add it to the pan together with the juice of the lemons and the almonds. Cook gently until the sugar is melted, then fast-boil until the saucer test shows that the preserve will set. Pot, tie down and label the preserve in the usual way. Makes enough to fill 5 jars. Source: Philippa Davenport in "Country Living" (British), March 1989. Typed for you by Karen Mintzias