Make the most of the fresh fig season with this deliciously spicy version of a traditional fig jam. Fresh figs are preferred, as they break down easily during cooking. If you have your heart set on making this jam, but you can’t find fresh figs, dried figs work equally well. Yes, it adds to your preparation time, but it’s worth the effort.
I prefer to use molasses, maple syrup, or honey, to sweeten the jam, anything up to 1 cup should provide enough sweetness. I recommend about half a cup if you prefer less sweet jam.
Another ingredient you might like to include is fresh lemon thyme; this adds a deliciously earthy flavor to your spread. If this is tricky to get hold of, regular English thyme is a good substitute, or you can skip it entirely, and keep things simple. But you don’t want to skip the fresh lemon juice; this helps to balance out the sweetness, and the heat from the Spicy Blend. Add an extra pinch or two of Threefold Spicy or the Summer Savory powder, if you want to give your jam an extra kick.
Wash the figs, trim the stems, and cut them in half, or a
quarter, and place them in a pot.
To the pot add threefold blend spicy powder, summer savory
powder, thyme, lemon juice, sweetener, water, and gently heat.
Stir while it gently warms up, bring to a boil, and then reduce the
heat.
Allow the ingredients to cook, add more water if necessary, and
cook for 30-45 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Stir occasionally to
avoid ingredients sticking to the pot.
Once the mixture has reduced, remove from the heat, discard the
thyme sprigs, and let it cool.
You can blitz the jam in a blender until you get your desired
consistency, or transfer directly to a glass jar, and store in the fridge for
up to 2 weeks or so.
Recipe Note
If you’re using fresh figs, they will break down easily as they cook. To help them along, you can use the back of a spoon or fork, and gently mash them.
If you’re using dried figs, they’ll probably be tougher to break down. Soak the figs in lukewarm water for several minutes to soften the leathery texture, drain, and then use 2+ cups of filtered water when they are cooking. After they have cooled down, blitz them in the blender for a bit, until you get your desired consistency.
