Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

Make the sauce: put the apricots and their syrup into the goblet of a blender, add the remaining sauce ingredients with salt and pepper to taste and work for a few seconds to a rough puree.

Turn the apricot mixture into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Boil, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until it thickens to a coating consistency.

Fill a roasting tin to a depth of 1 cm (1/2 inch) with cold water and set a rack over the tin. Arrange the drumsticks on the rack and brush thickly with half the sauce. Cook in the oven, on the shelf above centre, for 40-45 minutes until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the drumsticks is pierced with a fine skewer. Turn the drumsticks over once or twice during cooking time and brush with the remaining sauce.

Transfer drumsticks to a serving platter and spoon over any sauce and juices which have collected in the tin. Garnish with the toasted almonds, if using, and serve.