Fig Jam
Chopped fresh figs simmered with sugar, lemon juice and a pinch of cinnamon for 40 minutes into a thick, dark jam. Twenty-four servings of a spoonful in 50 minutes.
The Method for Fig Jam
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Put all the ingredients in a wide pan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
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Simmer for 40 minutes, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
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Spoon into a clean jar, cool and keep in the fridge.
What Can Go Wrong
- Stir often because figs stick.
- Do not skip the lemon juice.
- If your hob runs hot, check at 30 minutes.
- Leave the skins on.
About This Recipe
Figs are very sweet but low in acid, so the lemon juice does two jobs: it helps the jam set and it keeps the taste from going flat.
Trim off the stalks and chop the figs, skin and all. The skins soften completely and the seeds give a pleasant crunch, like a nut.
Cook the figs with the sugar and lemon over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 40 minutes. Stir often because figs are sticky and burn easily on the base of the pan.
The jam is ready when it is thick enough to leave a trail when you drag a spoon across the pan, and it will thicken more as it cools. If your hob runs hot, check at 30 minutes. Pot into a clean jar. It goes with soft cheese and cured meats. Slightly under-ripe figs work as well as soft ones, because the cooking does the softening, so this is a good way to use fruit that never quite ripened.
On the Table Alongside
Goat cheese · Brie · Prosciutto · Buttered toast
Storing Leftovers
Keeps in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Quick Answers
How long does Fig Jam take to make?
About 50 minutes in total — 10 minutes of preparation and 40 minutes of cooking. The recipe serves 24.
What are the key tips for making Fig Jam?
Stir often because figs stick. Do not skip the lemon juice. If your hob runs hot, check at 30 minutes. Leave the skins on.
What should I serve with Fig Jam?
Goat cheese; Brie; Prosciutto; Buttered toast.
How should Fig Jam be stored?
Keeps in a clean jar in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Is Fig Jam suitable for a special diet?
This recipe is vegetarian, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, low-carb and keto. Those labels are checked against the ingredient list, so a dish is only marked when nothing in it contradicts the claim.
Fig Jam Nutrition
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.
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Written and tested by Turab
One person, one kitchen — no test kitchen, no team. How every recipe on this site is checked before it goes up.
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