Homemade fig jam
We’re continuing with the preparation of good homemade jams , and today it’s a low-sugar fig jam .
Making jam is so easy, you can enjoy the good fruits of the season all year round.
Fig jam will join apricot jam a favorite at home.
I take advantage of every season and the fruit it offers to make good homemade jams.
In summer, don’t forget mirabelle plum jam with its slightly tart taste and sunny color. Fig jam reminds me of my adopted grandmother, who never missed a year of giving us jars of this jam she lovingly prepared with figs from her garden.
She had 2 fig trees and after picking them, she made delicious jam. I was barely 4 and we had the privilege of eating her good jam until I was 16, the year my dear grandma left us.
I was never able to find the authentic taste of her jam in the store-bought variety until I started making my own homemade fig jam.
Figs are in peak season, so take the opportunity to make homemade fig jam with no added preservatives or pectins. Stock up for the whole year. For breakfast or your children’s snack it’s healthy and always appreciated, spread on crepes or toast.
It’s also time to prepare a good confit with fresh figs. The fig confit for the festive season. For Christmas, it’s the perfect accompaniment to your gingerbread and foie gras.
Light fig jam, shelf life :
Table of Contents
We’d like to reduce the sugar in all the recipes we make, but if lowering the sugar more or less in cakes poses no problem, in jam it plays the role of preservative and helps the jam to set properly.
To preserve a jam for a long time, don’t reduce the sugar content too much, except when the fruit already contains a lot of sugar and is not waterlogged.
This is the case with figs, which are very sweet and not juicy. I reduce the amount of sugar, using only 400g for a kg of fruit. The jam is perfect. If you want to keep to a normal jam, add more sugar. Normally, jam is made without going below 55% sugar.
In general, commercial jams, like those made by our grandmothers, have a ratio of 1.1 For 1kg of fruit, that’s 1kg of sugar. I generally use 700/800 g of sugar for 1 kg of fruit for all my jams, and they are perfect and keep very well.
I detail everything you need to know about making a successful jam in this article , if you want : how to make a successful jam.
A few tips for perfect fig jam:
NB: Find the quantity of ingredients in the recipe card at the end of the article, which you can print. Below are the tips and instructions, also available with visual images.
Choose beautiful figs: fleshy with smooth, unwilted skin. The fig should be ripe and slightly tender to the touch. Always opt for good-quality fruit. Forget the idea of making jam out of overripe fruit that’s lying around and no one wants to eat.
The guarantee of a good fig jam is above all the fig itself, which must be delicious, well-flavored and just the right ripeness.
Add lemon juice: Lemon juice activates and reinforces the pectin found naturally in fruit. Pectin is a natural gelling agent. Some fruits contain a lot, such as apples and quinces. The more pectin a fruit contains, the easier it is to make jam.
The fruit’s natural pectin is essential for the jam to set properly. It activates in an acid environment, which is why the addition of lemon juice is important.
For 1 kg of figs, add the juice of one lemon. 
Macerate the figs: Mix the halved, quartered or chopped figs with the sugar and lemon juice. Cut them into small pieces if you want a jam without large chunks.
Leave at room temperature for a few hours, or refrigerate overnight. The sugar in contact with the moisture of the fig and lemon juice will melt. Cooking will be quicker and easier.
Sterilize the jars: Sterilizing the jars in which the jam is to be stored is an important step in keeping the jam fresh. Place the jars and lids in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15 minutes.
Then remove the jars and lids and turn them out onto a towel to drain.
Quick cooking: To ensure that the jam retains all the aroma and flavour of the fruit, it should be cooked as quickly as possible. By cooking the jam over a high heat, the water evaporates and the sugar concentrates more quickly. The jam retains all the flavor of the fruit and its beautiful color.
A large enough pot: Choosing a special jam pan or a large enough pot also helps to evaporate the water from the fruit quickly. This speeds up cooking.
Skimming the jam: Remove the scum that forms on the surface of the jam towards the end of cooking, not at the beginning. By skimming right from the start, you risk removing some of the pectin that would have risen with the foam. As a reminder, pectin helps jam to gel properly.
For this jam, I tried a trick to prevent the scum from forming, by adding a teaspoon of butter at the start of cooking. Miraculously, I didn’t get any foam. Try this tip with other jams.
Potting :
Fill the jars almost to the brim with hot jam. Immediately cap and turn the jars upside down onto a towel.
Leave to cool completely. It’s a simple method of self-pasteurization. Turn and store in a cool, dry place away from light.
Can fig jam be flavoured?
Yes, absolutely!
You can add vanilla pods, which go very well with figs. Split the vanilla in half and scrape out the seeds. Add them when macerating the fruit. Also add the clove, which you will remove at the end of cooking.
You can also make a spiced fig jam that goes wonderfully with foie gras. Add cinnamon, star anise or 4-spice, as desired or a little of each. Add 1 or 2 teaspoons at the start of cooking.
You can see other jam recipes
Low-sugar homemade fig jam
Matériel :
Ingredients :
- 1 kg (35.3 oz) figs, after removing the stems
- 400 g (14 oz) granulated sugar
- 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoon (5 g ) butter
Instructions :
- Wash the figs and dry them.
- Remove the stems and cut them into halves, quarters, or small pieces depending on the consistency you want for your jam.
- In a bowl, mix the figs with the sugar and lemon juice. Cover with plastic wrap.
- Let macerate for 2 to 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Sterilize the jars and their lids by placing them in a large pot and covering with water. Bring to a boil and count 15 minutes from the start of boiling.
- Turn them upside down on a towel and let them air dry.
- Once the figs and sugar have macerated, pour them into a large pot and bring to a vigorous boil.
- Add the tablespoon of butter (optional) and stir well.
- Cook for 10 to 15 minutes from the start of boiling, stirring occasionally to prevent the jam from sticking to the bottom.
- The jam should be translucent and shiny.
- If you want a smooth jam, crush well with a slotted spoon or blend it.
- Check the consistency by pouring a bit of jam onto a frozen plate. The jam should set and not run.
- If you have a sugar thermometer, remove the jam from the heat at 105°C (221°F).
- Fill the jars with the hot jam using a funnel, leaving 0.5 cm (0.2 in) from the top.
- Close with the lids, ensuring they are tightly sealed.
- Immediately turn the jars upside down on a towel.
- Let the jars cool completely upside down.
- Turn them right side up and store in a cool, dry place away from light.
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