One of my favorite things about summer is the access to fresh, organic fruit to make scrumptious, homemade jams. I love experimenting with different combinations by using fresh herbs and edible flowers with succulent, ripe fruits. While summer was still a long way off, I decided to experiment with dried fruit in the dead of winter. The result was an incredibly decadent jam with deliciously rich flavors.

This jam tastes divine slathered on homemade bread or used as a topping for vanilla ice cream.

Dried Apricot + Lavender Sugar Jam
6 ounces organic dried apricots
1 ¾ cup filtered water
Juice from ½ organic lemon
½ cup lavender sugar

(Makes enough to fill a 6-ounce ball jar)

Directions:
Place dried apricots and water in a bowl and let rest for 2 hours. Transfer water and apricots to a saucepan and place over medium heat. Add the lemon juice and lavender sugar. Stir until you bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and turned into a thick jam. Store in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within a week.

Image and recipe via Cassie Winslow