Description
Homemade fig jam blends Mediterranean sweetness with delicate spices from Southern France. Local figs create rich, complex flavors that complement fresh bread or elegant cheese plates.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 lbs (907 g) figs, green or purple, stemmed and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) sugar
- ¼ cup plus 2 tbsps (90 mL) fresh lemon juice
- ½ cup (120 mL) water
Instructions
- Preparation: Slice ripe figs into uniform pieces, releasing their natural sweetness and revealing the fruit’s delicate internal structure.
- Sugar Infusion: Combine fig pieces with granulated sugar in a nonreactive cooking vessel, allowing the ingredients to macerate and develop rich, concentrated flavors through gentle intermittent stirring.
- Liquid Enhancement: Pour lemon juice and water into the fig mixture, creating a vibrant culinary foundation that will transform the raw ingredients into a luxurious preserve.
- Thermal Transformation: Heat the mixture over moderate temperature, continuously stirring to dissolve sugar crystals and generate a smooth, glossy consistency while preventing potential scorching.
- Reduction and Caramelization: Lower cooking temperature and allow the mixture to simmer gently, periodically stirring to promote even caramelization and develop a deep, complex flavor profile.
- Texture Verification: Monitor jam’s progression by observing droplet consistency on a wooden spoon, ensuring the perfect viscosity that indicates ideal jamming point.
- Preservation: Carefully transfer the warm, aromatic mixture into sterilized glass containers, leaving minimal headspace to accommodate potential expansion during cooling.
- Cooling and Storage: Seal jars securely and allow natural cooling at room temperature, then refrigerate to maintain optimal flavor and extend preservation for approximately three months.
Notes
- Fruit Selection: Choose ultra-ripe, deeply colored figs with minimal blemishes for maximum natural sweetness and intense flavor development.
- Sugar Interaction: Allow sugar to slowly dissolve and draw out fruit juices, creating a luxurious syrupy texture that enhances overall jam quality.
- Temperature Control: Maintain gentle, consistent heat to prevent burning and ensure smooth caramelization without compromising the delicate fig essence.
- Storage Wisdom: Store homemade jam in sterilized glass containers, maintaining refrigeration to preserve freshness and extend shelf life up to three months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Breakfast, Dessert
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 46 g
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 48 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg