Small Batch Fig Jam

Figs are one of my all-time favorite fruits! But unfortunately, living in New England where figs are not locally grown, it is often hard to find fresh figs.  And when we do find them, they are either very expensive or – being a highly perishable fruit – not of the greatest quality.

So I was extremely excited to walk into my local market last week – where I spotted a large display of fresh figs on sale for a great price. (If you see them too…buy some!) I grabbed a few pints and immediately started plotting to make this Small Batch Fig Jam recipe.

This Small Batch Fig Jam recipe makes a 1-cup jar of jam – perfect for a special treat. The jam is sweet but not too sweet, and the addition of lemon and thyme complements the flavors of the fig in a very delicious way!

This gorgeous fig jam is absolutely fantastic served on crostini with a sprinkle of bleu cheese (see note in our recipe below), spread on buttered toast or a bagel, spooned into some hot oatmeal, or used to make our Prosciutto and Fig Pizza with Arugula or these Prosciutto Rolls.

Small Batch Fig Jam

Adapted from Cooking Light via MyRecipes.com

• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins
• Total Time: 50 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

• 1 lemon
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1½ tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 pound ripe fresh Black Mission Figs, stemmed and quartered

Instructions

1. For a very thick jam (as shown) simmer for the full 50 minutes. For a looser jam, simmer only for 40 minutes.
2. Using a vegetable peeler, remove strips of rind from lemon, being careful not to include the white pith as you peel the strips.
3. Place lemon rind strips and all other ingredients into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to combine.
4. Bring contents in the saucepan to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 40-50 minutes (*see note above) or until mixture thickens, continuing to stir frequently so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
5. Discard thyme stems and lemon peel. Pulse jam with an immersion blender to chop up the fig skins if desired.
6. Pour into an 8-ounce jelly jar. Keep refrigerated for up to one month.
7. This jam may also be canned in sterilized jars using the water bath method.

Notes

To make the crostini we show in our photos above, simply slice a baguette into diagonal slices. Toast until golden brown, then (optional) rub each slice with a clove of garlic that has been cut in half. Spread our Small Batch Fig Jam onto each slice, then top with crumbled bleu cheese.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.


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Prosciutto and Fig Pizza with Arugula

Prosciutto Rolls

Fig Bar Cookies

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