Not quite the same as apricots but I am on my third season mastering the following recipe and its variants:
Crème de cassis - I think this was a reader's recipe in the Daily Telegraph.
2.5 lb/1.1kg blackcurrants
20 very small blackcurrant leaves
1.75 pints of a spirit (I use vodka but any spirit would probably do)
1.5 lb granulated sugar
5fl ozl water
Wash the blackcurrants, discarding the stalks. Allow them to dry throughly, then put them into a large glass jar and add the blackcurrant leaves. Pour over the spirit, which should cover the fruit completely. Leave to steep for 4-5 months or longer - if you can wait that long but it is well worth it.
Strain the contents of the jar (keeping the alcohol) and remove the leaves. Whizz the blackcurrants in a food processor and strain through muslin - I just put mine in the muslin and squeeze . Mix the strained fruit with the purple alcohol.
Dissolve the sugar in the water over a low heat, then simmer gently for 5 minutes to make a thick syrup, I find this difficult and can't get a clear syrup but the mixture disolves it and it doesn't seem to make any difference. Cool. Pour slowly into the blackcurrant mixture, stirring continuously. Taste and stop adding syrup when the liqueur seems sweet enough - this is the difference to the other methods as you taste untill it seems right rather than adding sugar from the start.
Pour into bottles and seal. It will improve with age, so if you like it fruity drink it young. It also works great with raspberries and blackberries but not with redcurrants unless you like pink, sweet vodka!
