Fig jam is made by cooking whole pieces of figs with sugar and water until they soften and release their natural pectin. It can be used as a fruit spread or condiment and pairs well with savory foods. It can be canned or made as small batches of “refrigerator preserves.”
Fig jam is a form of fig jam comprising whole pieces of figs that have been cooked until softened. Fig jam can be used like other jams as a fruit spread for toast, scones, cakes and other baked goods, and can also be used as a condiment for savory foods. Fig jam, for example, pairs well with turkey, chicken, and creamy cheeses like brie. Some shops sell fig jam, especially in Europe, where this particular form of jam is very popular and can also be made at home.
To be considered a jam, a fruit jam must contain chopped whole fruit, as opposed to just fruit juice or pieces of fruit. Many people also believe that jam should contain only one type of fruit, rather than a blend. In the case of fig jam, the jam includes figs that can be peeled or left unpeeled, depending on personal taste.
Like other jams, fig jam is made by heating cleaned and chopped figs with sugar and a small amount of water and cooking until the fruit begins to crack. Many cooks also include lemon zest and a small amount of salt for flavor, although this isn’t necessary. As the figs crack and soften, they release their natural pectin, the substance that causes a jam to set. Some people add more pectin, to ensure the jam sets, although this isn’t necessary.
Once the fruit has softened, the fig jam can be canned immediately or run through an oil mill to create a uniform texture before canning. Some cooks opt for “refrigerator preserves,” making small batches of jam that need to be refrigerated because they aren’t sealed in sterile jars and heated. Real preserves will keep for up to a year in a cool, dry place, assuming the jars are properly sterilized and securely sealed, while refrigerated preserves should be eaten within a week or so.
Like the figs themselves, fig jam has a very sweet taste and often has a slightly grainy texture from the tiny seeds inside the figs. Fig jam is also very rich and the color can vary from almost black to green, depending on the variety of figs used. Some fig jams have a deep ruby red color, which can be quite striking.
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