Fresh Fig Preserves With Rum Recipes

FRESH FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium high-heat, stirring occasionally. Then lower temperature to medium-low and cook for 20 mins, stirring frequently, to allow the mixture to caramelize and reduce.
• Remove the pot from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer into glass jars*** and store in the fridge until ready to use.****

REAL FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Dissolve the baking soda in about 2 quarts of cool water, and immerse the figs in the treated water in a large bowl. Gently stir to wash the figs, then drain off the water and rinse the figs thoroughly with fresh cool water. Place the figs into a large pot. Add 1 cup water, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, lemon, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. Very gently stir the mixture to dissolve the sugar, keeping the figs intact as much as possible.
• Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until the figs are golden brown and coated in syrup, about 1 hour. Stir gently a couple of times to keep the figs from burning onto the bottom of the pot. Add a pinch of salt, if desired, to tame the sweetness.
• Sterilize the jars and lids in boiling water for at least 5 minutes. Pack the figs into the hot, sterilized jars and top off with syrup, filling the jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a knife or a thin spatula around the insides of the jars after they have been filled to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims of the jars with a moist paper towel to remove any food residue. Top with lids, and screw on rings.
• Place a rack in the bottom of a large stockpot and fill halfway with water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then carefully lower the jars into the pot using a holder. Leave a 2 inch space between the jars. Pour in more boiling water if necessary until the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Bring the water to a full boil, cover the pot, and process for 15 minutes.
• Remove the jars from the stockpot and place onto a cloth-covered or wood surface, several inches apart, until cool. Once cool, press the top of each lid with a finger, ensuring that the seal is tight (lid does not move up or down at all). Store in a cool, dark area, and wait at least 2 days before opening.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Wash, trim stems and slice figs into 4th.
• Add first six ingredients to a large pot and let sit about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile boil jars.
• Put flat lids in a small pot of water and boil then turn off the heat.
• On medium heat bring ingredients to a full rolling boil.
• Boil for about 10 minutes.
• Stir in packet of liquid pectin.
• Continue stirring until ingredients come to a full boil. Stop stirring and boil for exactly one minute.
• Remove pot from hot burner.
• Allow preserves to settle.
• Skim foam off top.
• Fill jars.
• Process 20 minutes in a hot water bath.

LEMON AND FIG RUM COCKTAIL

Steps:

• In a cocktail shaker, add the dried figs, lemon juice, and tawny port. Muddle together. Add the simple syrup, spiced rum, and ice and shake well.
• Fill a Collins glass with ice. Strain the cocktail through several layers of cheesecloth into the glass, top off with tonic water and garnish with a slice of lemon and fig.

FRESH FIG PRESERVES WITH RUM

Steps:

• Rinse figs well. Cut off stems and cut each fig in half or quarters, depending on their size.
• Put figs and rum in a large pot over medium-high heat; bring to a light boil. Maintain a light boil and cook for 20 minutes. Stir in sugar, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook for exactly 6 minutes.
• Meanwhile, inspect 3 pint-sized jars for cracks and rings for rust, discarding any defective ones. Immerse in simmering water until fig preserves are ready. Wash new, unused lids and rings in warm soapy water.
• Remove fig preserves from the heat and distribute evenly into the hot, sterilized jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of the top. Run a clean knife or thin spatula around the insides of the jars to remove any air bubbles. Wipe rims with a moist paper towel to remove any residue. Top with lids and screw rings on tightly. Put jars upside down on a clean cloth and leave until completely cool, 3 to 4 hours.
• Store in a cool, dry place with no light.

OLD FASHIONED SOUTHERN STYLE FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Try to select figs of equal ripeness. Wash.
• Cut stems a wee bit around, do not expose inside of figs. If extra ripe, don't worry, just get stem.
• Sugar is measure for measure but I like it rounded for figs. So not quite equal measure.
• Put sugar over figs (and lemon slices). Cover. Put aside until morning. (If you cook right away keep your heat low to begin with.) (Water added here.) Water different for juice. I'd say if over night, it will turn into juice so you won't add much then. If cooking right away, try 1/4 measured to fig measure. I like to have juice to cover figs in jars. Left over juice can be used for another cooking of figs.
• Cook slowly. Makes better figs & syrup. Might be longer cooking. You judge by your syrup thickness. Keep boiling gently. Your bubbles will show a good syrup. Little water can be added if juice gets low. Sometimes 2 or so hours. Try a fig.
• Put in jars but don't seal. Place in hot water bath. Cook until sealed. Will Pop.

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.

SOUTHERN FIG PRESERVES

Steps:

• Fill a large canning kettle with water and bring to a boil.
• Store in a cool, dark place until ready to enjoy.

DRUNKEN FIG JAM

Steps:

• Using vegetable peeler, remove peel from lemons (yellow part only) in long strips. Cut peel into matchstick-size strips (about 3 tablespoons).
• Combine lemon peel, figs, sugar, brandy, and 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt in heavy large deep saucepan; let stand at room temperature 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Bring fig mixture to boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium; continue to boil until jam thickens and is reduced to 6 cups, stirring frequently and occasionally mashing mixture with potato masher to crush large fig pieces, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Ladle mixture into 6 hot clean 1/2-pint glass canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at top of jars. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe jar threads and rims with clean damp cloth. Cover with hot lids; apply screw bands. Process jars in pot of boiling water 10 minutes. Cool jars completely. Store in cool dark place up to 1 year.