Homemade fig jam recipe

Fig jam: the traditional recipe for a perfect jam to make during the summer (and beyond). Here is the preparation and advice!

Fig jam is very versatile: perfect for enriching biscuits and other desserts such as tarts, but also to accompany cheese and bruschetta for an appetizer full of flavors and contrasts. With its sweet and delicious taste, it needs very few ingredients: figs (green or black), sugar and lemon. In itself, the fig jam recipe is not complicated at all, you just need to be patient because the times are a bit long (as with all jams). There are no differences in making black fig jam and white fig jam, the black ones will release more flavor and are more suitable for compote. In fact, black figs are sweeter and more sugary, it will take less waiting time before the jam thickens and you will also have to use less sugar .

If you are in a hurry you can use pectin, which thickens everything in much less time (but the result is not quite the same): we advise you to hold on and carve out the necessary time. The result will repay the effort. Let's work!

How to make fig jam

1. Remove the skin from the figs, then put them to macerate in a bowl with the lemon juice and zest and the sugar for 45 minutes (you can easily omit this step and start cooking immediately).
2. After the standing time, transfer everything into a large non-stick pan and cook for about 45 minutes / 1 hour, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.
3. To verify the right consistency of the jam, do the classic saucer test : pour a teaspoon of jam on a very cold saucer and tilt it. If the mixture doesn't run, it's ready.
4. If it slips away very quickly, leave it in the pot for another 10 minutes.
5. When the jam is ready you can choose whether to make it smoother by blending it, or to put it in jars as they appear.
6. Transfer the mixture into sterilized glass jars , stopping about 1 cm from the rim; close with the cap, turn upside down and leave to cool completely before storing in the pantry. In this way the classic vacuum should form, which guarantees freshness and conservation.

Does your cap not "click" ? No problem, here's how to pasteurize them: put the jars to boil (upside down) in a saucepan full of water that covers them. After about 30 minutes , turn off the heat and let everything cool down before taking them out and putting them in the pantry.

Tips and variations for fig jam

If you want to make sugar-free fig jam, replace it with a well-ripened apple or pectin (even if it won't be as good as the original).

To flavor the jam, you can add the flaked almonds or macerate the figs with cinnamon or a few grains of pepper. For a heavenly scent, instead, add a vanilla bean to the pot with the fruit (to be removed before pouring it into the jars).