Fig Jam

Have you ever noticed how sweet ripe figs are all by themselves? That is what makes them so great for jam! You can make this fig jam without adding any extra sugar and enjoy the flavor of your fresh figs through the winter.

I designed this recipe so that you can easily double or triple it if you have more figs. Just measure out the number of cups of prepared figs you end up with, then double or triple the other ingredients accordingly.

A note about pectin: There are several kinds of pectin on the market. I find that the easiest to use is powdered pectin. I like jams that are rich in fruity flavor without being diluted by sugar (like in store-bought jams) so I use Ball RealFruit™ Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin. Most pectins require you to use a ton of sugar to get the jam to set properly so make sure to buy low or no-sugar needed pectin if you want to make low-sugar jams.

Makes: 1 pint

Preparation time: 20m
Cooking time: 20m
Total time: 25m

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup prepared figs (about 1 lb fresh figs)
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons water
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons Ball RealFruit™ Low or No-Sugar Needed Pectin

Equipment: sauce pan

Instructions:

  1. If canning, prepare water bath and sterilize canning jars. If you are new to canning, follow the instructions on the INLINE-LINK-START title="Canning" href="http://www.freshpreserving.com/getting-started.aspx" target="_blank">Ball website INLINE-LINK-END.
  2. Prepare the figs: place them into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let them sit for 10 minutes to soften. Then drain them, remove the stems and chop them into small pieces (about 1/4 inch large).
  3. In a saucepan combine the prepared figs, water and lemon juice. Sprinkle the pectin in, stirring it until it is all mixed in.
  4. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil hard for 1 minute then remove the pan from the heat.
  5. The jam is done, either store in the fridge or proceed to preserve it by filling the sterilized jars, making sure to leave 1/4" headspace. Then place the jars in a water bath and boil for at least 10 minutes if altitude is less than 1000ft above sea level. Store canning jars in a cool, dark place and use within 1 year. Make sure to refridgerate after opening.