Every spring when these fuzzy little fruits show up in grocery stores, I snap some up and make some Homemade Apricot Nectar. Not heavy like what you find in some grocery stores. My version is one that is light and refreshing, exactly what warm summer days need.
Less than a handful of ingredients turn this delicate seasonal fruit into a drink you will want to savor. Whether you are picking the apricots fresh, or simply picking them up from your local grocer or farmers market, you can whip up this simple drink any time your run across them.
All you need is some apricots, a couple of lemons, granulated sugar, and water. Because every ingredient used here will shine, I usually opt to double filter my water. This might just be me being a little extra, but I like it to be really clean and pure for making this drink.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Roughly chop the apricots, and place them along with the sugar and lemon juice in a small pot or saucepan. Cook everything together until the sugar dissolves and the apricots become tender.
Then puree the mixture in a high-speed blender and add the water. Be careful if the mixture is hot so it doesnt get expelled from your blender. By adding the water cold you should avoid this and everything should temper out. Nonetheless, use care when blending or let the apricot mixture cool a while before blending.
Then pass the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the pulp. Place the juice in a glass bottle for storing in the fridge.
If the juice begins to move slowly through the sieve, use the back of a ladle, moving in a circular motion to press the juice through the strainer.
Double, or even triple filter your water for this, believe me, you will taste the difference in your Apricot Nectar. Or use your favorite ultra-filtered water from the store.
This is a great recipe to make if your apricots have begun to go past their prime eating stage. Just cut off any parts that are starting to look bad, and use the rest of the fruit. It is a great way to reduce waste and make something great at the same time!
Lemon is a classic pairing with apricot. But try swapping it for lime, orange, tangerine, or grapefruit for some other flavor pairings.
You can swap the granulated sugar for, honey, agave, or stevia. It actually works great with stevia, be sure to use Truvia, it has less after taste.
More refreshing warm weather drinks!
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Homemade Apricot Nectar JuicePrep Time:
Every spring when these fuzzy little fruits show up in grocery stores, I snap some up and make some Homemade Apricot Nectar.
- 4 cups fresh Apricots, pitted (about 2.5 lbs)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 4 cups Water
- Juice of 3 Lemons
- Pit and roughly chop the apricots.
- In a 4qt saucepan, combine the sugar and water over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil to form a syrup.
- Add the apricots and lemon juice and continue to simmer the mixture until they become soft. About 10 minutes.
- Allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes, then add everything from the pot to a blender. Blend starting at the lowest speed and working your way up to the highest speed. Blend until completely smooth.
- Pour the mixture through a strainer, into a bowl, to remove the pulp.
- Place in a sterilized glass bottle for long-term storage, or a heat-safe pitcher for immediate consumption.
- Allow the strained juice to cool to room temperature, then chill in the fridge overnight.
- The juice will be fairly thick, for a thinner juice add more filtered water until your desired consistency is achieved.
- Serve over ice and enjoy!
If the juice begins to move slowly through the sieve, use the back of a ladle, moving in a circular motion to press the juice through the strainer.
Double, or even triple filter your water for this, believe me, you will taste the difference in your Apricot Nectar. Or use your favorite ultra-filtered water from the store.
This is a great recipe to make if your apricots have begun to go past their prime eating stage. Just cut off any parts that are starting to look bad, and use the rest of the fruit. It is a great way to reduce waste and make something great at the same time!
Lemon is a classic pairing with apricot. But try swapping it for lime, orange, tangerine, or grapefruit for some other flavor pairings.
You can swap the granulated sugar for, honey, agave, or stevia. It actually works great with stevia, be sure to use Truvia, it has less after taste.
This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.