Fig jam for cheeses, slightly spicy, an alternative to the classic sweet fig recipes like Fig or “settembrini” cookies or Grandma’s fig cake, ideal when you have figs to use or when you want to prepare an original appetizer.
When we talk about jams and preserves, we immediately think of breakfast, but you may not know that some jams and preserves are perfect with aged or fresh cheeses, for example spicy pear jam, spicy green tomato jam, sweet-and-sour yellow pepper jam and even this tasty fig jam, to which I gave a light sweet-and-sour and spicy flavor.
Today I want to prepare it with you; you’ll see how perfect it is with aged and semi-aged cheeses, as well as fresh and soft ones. Made with less sugar than the classic recipe, it has a delicate spicy note and is enriched by a light sweet-and-sour touch from balsamic vinegar. If you want to try it, follow me in the kitchen — you’ll see how delicious it is! Before we start, remember that if you want to stay updated on all my recipes, you can follow my Facebook page (here) and my Instagram profile (here)
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 10 Servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer, Autumn
Ingredients to make the fig jam
- 23 oz figs (any variety you prefer, peeled)
- 1 cup brown sugar (or white)
- 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
- 1/3 tsp salt
- to taste chili pepper
Tools
- Food processor or blender
- Stovetop
Preparation of the fig jam for cheeses
Rinse the figs under cold running water, pat them dry with paper towels and roughly peel them.
Cut them into pieces and place them in a pot or in the bowl of your food processor.
Add the salt, vinegar, chili pepper and sugar. Using balsamic vinegar will give a darker color and a stronger flavor; using apple cider vinegar will result in an amber color and a milder taste.
If, like me, you use a food processor that can also cook, remove the blades, insert the whisk accessory and cook at 248°F for 40–45 minutes, keeping the lid slightly open to allow steam to escape. Alternatively, cook in a pan for about 30 minutes over low heat, stirring often.
During stovetop cooking the jam will splash a lot, so if you have one, use a splatter screen.
If you use the food processor, cooking times may be considerably longer because the water in the figs evaporates less easily; if after the indicated cooking time the jam still seems too liquid, transfer it to a pan and let it reduce a bit more.
When finished, pour into a bowl and wait for it to cool completely; you will see a film form on the surface: this is normal and means the jam is perfectly cooked.
Once cold, pour into a jar and store in the refrigerator. It is best served chilled or at room temperature.
If you wish, you can also preserve it as a canned jam: pour the mixture into a jar sterilized by boiling (you should boil lids and jars for ten minutes, then dry them upside down on a clean towel), then close, wrap the jar in a dish towel and boil again for at least another 15 minutes.
Let the jar rest in the pot of boiling water for ten minutes, then remove it from the water and let it cool upside down. If, after cooling, the jar has formed a vacuum (the lid will have a concave indentation), the process was successful and the jam will keep well for more than a year.
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