Figjam Recipes

FIG JAM

Steps:

• Put the figs and 150ml water in a large heavy based saucepan. Bring to a simmer and gently bubble for 5 mins or until the figs have softened and released their juices. Add the orange zest, sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring regularly for around 5-7 mins or until thick, skimming off any skum that rises to the surface. Remove from the heat and leave to sit for 10 mins.
• Ladle the mixture into sterilised jars. Seal with the lids and leave to cool completely. Will keep for six months unopened and 2 weeks in the fridge once opened.

FIG JAM

Steps:

• In a large bowl, toss together chopped figs and half the sugar. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Transfer figs and sugar to a small stainless or enameled saucepan. (The pan should not be more than twice the volume of the fruit and sugar mixture.) Over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring with a heatproof rubber spatula. When mixture comes to a boil, scrape back into bowl and cover with plastic. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight.
• Scrape fig mixture back into the saucepan. Have a skimmer and a bowl of water handy. Place a small plate in the refrigerator. Bring fruit back to a boil over medium heat, stirring. When mixture comes to a boil, stir in remaining sugar, the lemon juice and the balsamic vinegar. Boil, stirring, until mixture is thick but not too concentrated, 10 to 15 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises, dipping the skimmer into the bowl of water to remove the foam.
• To test for doneness, remove plate from refrigerator and place a spoonful of the jam on it. Wait about 20 seconds and tilt the plate. The jam should only run slightly, and slowly. Boil a little longer if it seems too runny, but take care not to cook it until too thick. It needs to be spreadable.
• Transfer to a bowl or a sterilized jar. Cover and let cool, then refrigerate.

FIG JAM

Steps:

• Bring figs, water, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and peppercorns to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Boil until figs begin to liquefy, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently to break down the figs, until jam is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes more.
• While jam is simmering, whisk lemon juice and agar-agar together. Set aside to gel.
• Take jam off the heat and remove the cinnamon stick. Add the lemon mixture and mix well. Let cool slightly. Pour jam into a pint jar with a hermetic seal. Allow to cool completely before refrigerating.

LOW SUGAR FIG JAM RECIPE

Steps:

• Add figs and sugar to a deep pan and set on the stovetop. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently. let it boil for 5 minutes.
• Turn the heat to medium-low and keep cooking the jam while stirring frequently. It might take anywhere between 15 to 30 minutes for your fruit to soften and for the jam to start to thicken (depending on how juicy the fruit was to begin with).
• When the fruit is soft use a potato masher to mash the fruit as much as you'd like. Add the juice of half a lemon right into the jam. Then add 4-6 lemon seeds to the jam (they have natural pectin in them and will help to thicken the jam). Stir and cook 5-10 more minutes or until the jam reaches your desired thickness.
• To process your jam in a waterbath canner fill the canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least an inch. Set the caner on the stovetop and bring the water to a rolling boil.
• Wash the jars, lids, and rings with hot water and dish soap.
• Fill the jars with the hot jam leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Use the bubble remover to remove air bubbles by scraping it along the inside of the jar. Use a damp paper towel to clean the rim of the jars before you center the lid and close the jars with the bands finger tight.
• Place the filled jars on the rack of the canner, lower them into the boiling water, cover the canner and process the jars in the boiling water for 15 minutes (both pints and half-pints). Make sure to adjust processing time according to the table below if you live above 1000 feet in elevation.
• Once processing time is up, turn the heat off and uncover the canner. Let the jars rest in the hot water for five minutes before you remove them. Set them on a kitchen towel on the counter to cool completely overnight.
• In the morning, check that your jars sealed by pressing the center of the lid. If there is no movement there, your jars have sealed and are ready for storage. Wipe the jars and remove the bands (cause they tend to rust and make it hard to open the jars down the road) and store the jars in the pantry. They should last 12-18 months.

HOMEMADE FRESH FIG JAM

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the figs, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest.
• Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. Cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• While figs are cooking, prepare the jars and lids. Put the glass jars in a boiling water canner about half-filled with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and keep jars in the water.
• Put water in a separate saucepan, bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and add the jar lids. Keep in the hot water until ready to use. Do not boil.
• After cooking the fig mixture for 1 hour, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan, making sure the tip of the thermometer doesn't touch the pan's bottom, and continue simmering, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens. When the mixture gets quite thick, begin to stir constantly to keep it from scorching.
• Cook to 220 F and remove from the heat. Or, test a small amount on a very cold saucer by putting the saucer in the freezer for a few minutes, adding a little of the fig mixture on it, and returning the saucer to the freezer for one minute. When a good gel stage is reached (220 F), the surface of the fruit mixture will wrinkle slightly when pushed with a finger or teaspoon.
• Fill the prepared jars with the hot fig jam mixture, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a wet paper towel. Place the lids on the jars using tongs or a jar magnet then screw on the rings.
• Place the jars on a rack in the hot water inside of the canner. Lower into the water and add enough hot or boiling water to bring the water level to 1 to 2 inches above the jars. Bring jars to a boil for 10 minutes.
• Using canning tongs, remove the jars and place them on top of a clean towel on a flat work surface. Listen for a popping sound, which indicates a good seal, and tighten the rings.
• Let the jars cool to room temperature and store in a cool, dry, dark place.

FIG JAM

Steps:

• Place the figs in a large pot or a Dutch oven and add the water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook until the figs are completely soft and tender, about 15 minutes.
• In a food processor fitted with the metal blade or in a blender, purée the figs and their cooking liquid (if using a blender, don't fill the jar more than halfway, as the hot liquid might burst through the top when the blender is turned on). Or, pass the figs through a food mill.
• Return the purée to the pot. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from burning on the bottom, until the jam is thick appears slightly jelled. (Because figs are low in pectin, the wrinkle test, page 256, won't work with this jam.)
• Ladle the jam into clean jars. Cover tightly, let cool, and refrigerate.
• Storage
• The jam will keep for at least 6 months in the refrigerator.
• Variation
• Before ladling into jars, stir in 1/2 cup (80 g) coarsely chopped Soft-Candied Citrus Peel (page 253) made with lemons.