Sponsored post for Expedia
Simple Fig Jam is an easy and utterly delicious, no added pectin recipe. Mediterranean in influence, use it as jam or enjoy with cheese which it complements beautifully!
When I think of Cyprus I associate it with lots of delicious food and produce including figs and lemons, so when Expedia asked me to take part in the World on a Plate Challenge I knew what I had to make, a Simple Fig Jam.
My husband lived in Paphos for a year as a teenager and fondly remembers the fig and lemon trees growing in the garden there. In fact I’m sure it’s my mother in law who suggested I make fig jam when I first started jam making as she is a huge fan of it.
I have to admit to being totally unfamiliar to figs as they are not something I grew up with.. I did love Fig Rolls though as a child, until the day I saw a dried fig and then I was totally put off them (kid logic)!
So back to the plot, Having tried some fig jam for the first time last year (that my mother brought back from a holiday), I actually really loved it and put it on my bucket list of jams to make. I decided to keep the flavour clean and simple with just the addition of lemon juice.
As figs are low in pectin rather than use jam sugar or pectin I upped the lemon juice in this recipe and also used the skins for additional pectin!
My simple Fig Jam turned out wonderfully and we have been enjoying it with cheese and biscuits as well as on croissants etc for a sweet treat. What surprised me most was the colour as the fig jam I’d been given was brown but this fig jam has a beautiful deep pink colour.
More fig recipes:
- Fig Curd – Feast Glorious Feast
- Fig, White Chocolate and Mascarpone Tarts – Tin & Thyme
- Baked Figs with Bacon, Sundried Tomatoes & Mozarella – Munchies & Munchkins
Don’t forget to check out the rest of my jam recipes as I have something for every taste!
I’m sure you’ll love this fig jam even if like me you don’t like fresh figs!
Do tag @FabFood4All on social media if you make it or better still leave a comment below! I love hearing from you:-)
Pin for later!
NB: I received vouchers to cover my ingredients and time making this recipe.
Simple Fig Jam
Ingredients
- 1.2 Kg Figs washed
- 600 g Granulated sugar
- Juice and skin of 2 small unwaxed lemons equating to 5 tbsp juice
Instructions
- The night before prepare the figs by trimming the stems, chopping in half and then chop each half into nine pieces, cutting in 3 both ways. (If you like a finer textured jam then chop into smaller pieces.)
- Place the halved lemon skins into a glass bowl along with the chopped figs and pour over the sugar followed by the lemon juice, cover and leave at room temperature overnight.
- Place all the fruit mixture into a preserving pan (or one of similar size) and gently heat until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Increase the heat and bring the mixture up to a rolling boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for 38 - 40 minutes, stirring regularly until the mixture is looking thick and syrupy. You can use a potato masher to break up the figs if you wish.
- Discard the lemon skins and pot up in hot sterilised jars and seal with lids immediately.
- Store in a cool dry place and once opened store in fridge where it will last months. Jam is best eaten in 1st year but will last years if stored properly.
- Makes 1 ltr of jam (which for me filled just over 1 large and 2 small jars).
Brenda
Salivating over your jam recipes, loving the fig jam especially! If I choose to cut the sugar amount a bit, how do you think that would affect the outcome?
Camilla
Hi Brenda, the usual ration of fruit to sugar is 1:1 and here I’ve used 0.5:1. I’ve never made this jam with less sugar so I can’t say what the outcome would be. It could affect the keeping quality or the setting or time it takes to reach setting point?
Tanya
Is the sugar content right?
Camilla
Yes Tanya, as you can see from other reader’s comments this recipe works well:-)
Carol Edwards
No water?
Camilla
No, not many of my jams have added water:-)
Carol Edwards
Mine is so thick I can’t get it to a ‘rolling boil’
Camilla
Hi Carol, I’m not sure why that is but in that case I would add enough water to loosen the mixture and then boil.
Carol Edwards
Thank you for that. I did add a bit of water – it was still very thick, but very delicious. I couldn’t stop taste testing it.
Camilla
Great Carol, it is quite a thick jam this one.
Mathew
I’m making my third batch now. I’ve used a mixture of perfectly ripe & not quite as ripe figs, as I’ve harvested them from a tree in my garden. I added star anise, cardamom & ginger then simmered for about 45 minutes, until the jam had noticeably thickened a little. It’s delicious! A simple, fool proof recipe that’s a hit with family & friends. Many thanks.
Camilla
Excellent Mathew, so glad you’ve made the recipe your own:-)
Mathew
I couldn’t have done it without you!
Camilla
Aaw:-)
Stacey
Lovely recipe! I added cinnamon, ginger and a couple of shots of brandy when cooking and it’s delicious. It’s set perfectly well. I ended up cooking it for 45-60 mins longer than stated, until it looked visibly thick. Thanks!
Camilla
Thanks Stacey, sounds fab!
Laura Watson
Thank you Camilla that’s very helpful. I agree the boiling and squeezing does sound quite a palaver! Think I’ll stick to ripe figs!
Thanks again.
Laura
Camilla
A pleasure, we’ve both learned something new today:-)