For the longest time, fig jam was just a staple on a charcuterie board. Is there anything better than a buttery cracker topped with a salty sliver of gouda and a dollop of fig jam? I don’t think so. In fact, I could consume this combination for dinner most nights (to my husband’s chagrin). It wasn’t until the two fig trees on our backyard started to bear an (over)abundance of figs that I was left with the question of what to do with them. I couldn’t keep up by simply slicing them in my breakfast bowls. I even had bags of them frozen in my freezer for smoothies. I needed a recipe that would take down some figs in one fell swoop. Enter: homemade fig jam.
The fig jams that you find on the market almost inadvertently contain sugar. You don’t have to make fig jam with sugar, as the fruit is naturally sweet on its own. I will say a granulated sweetener in fig jam does lend something, so I chose to upgrade this ingredient by using coconut sugar. Regular sugar would work too, or as I mentioned, you can leave it out.
This fig jam is so tasty on sourdough toast (with peanut butter of course), shmeared on grain-free biscuits, or spooned on yogurt with Gratisfied Granola Clusters. Take your pick – you really can’t go wrong!
Fig jam
Equipment
- medium saucepan or large pot
Ingredients
- 2 pounds white or purple figs stems removed and quartered
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar of choice
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup of water
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan or large pot, combine the figs, coconut sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Cook over medium heat stirring frequently until figs have softened and become juicy.
- Add the water reduce heat to a simmer. Cook about 25 minutes until reduced, stirring occasionally, and mashing with the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer the jam to a large mason jar or airtight container. Allow the jam to cool unsealed at room temperature for about an hour before sealing. Keep refrigerated.
