Fig Jam

This fig jam is the result of a package of dried figs that were impossible to bite through. I mean you could pretty much give these things to a teething shark with absolutely no worries that it would ever get through the skin. They were hard and dry and absolutely disappointing. So I decided to make something that is so much greater than the sum of its parts. Especially considering that the parts are just figs, water, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Quick Facts: Dried figs are high in fiber and are a great way to get some iron and potassium. What’s more, they’re an excellent source of tiny little seeds that get stuck in your teeth.

Directions

• Cut the stems off the dried figs and cut each fig into several chunks.
• Place cut figs into a bowl and cover with water. Allow to soak for 2-3 hours, or overnight.
• Drain water and place figs into a small saucepan on medium heat. Add a few tablespoons of water to the cooking figs to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Add in a squeeze of lemon juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the figs are very soft and beginning to break down.
• Place cooked figs in a blender and blend until smooth. If the mixture is too thick to blend, add in a few tablespoons of water (one at a time) until the desired consistency is reached.
• That’s it! No sweeteners or thickeners required for this delicious fig jam!

This jam tastes incredible with some good quality cheese (Havarti, anyone?) and a nice cup of tea! Give it a try – it practically makes itself, and is sophreakin’ good!

Ingredients

• 1 package of sundried figs without preservatives (the size doesn’t really matter as this is more of a method)
• water to soak figs
• squeeze of lemon juice