Homemade Fig Jam: A Little Taste of Mediterranean Summer

Homemade Citrus-Kissed Fig Jam

Sweet, bright, and just a little bit Mediterranean.

When figs are perfectly ripe, they really don’t need much help. A little sugar, fresh citrus, and some gentle simmering turn them into a rich, jewel-toned jam that tastes like late summer in a jar.

This homemade fig jam is wonderfully simple—no pectin, no complicated canning process, and no mysterious ingredients. Just ripe figs, lemon, orange, and enough sugar to let the fruit do what it does best.

Spread it thickly over warm toast, spoon it alongside a wedge of sharp cheese, add it to a charcuterie board, or tuck a jar into a basket as a homemade gift. And yes, eating a spoonful directly from the refrigerator is also an entirely legitimate serving suggestion.

Homemade Fig Jam

Makes: About 3½ cups
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35–45 minutes
Total Time: About 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ripe figs, stems removed and diced
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, about 3 lemons
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• 4 thick strips orange and/or lemon peel, about 1 inch wide
  Avoid as much of the bitter white pith as possible.

Instructions

1. Get everything into the pot.
   Add the diced figs, sugar, lemon juice, orange juice, and citrus peels to a large, nonreactive saucepan. Toss everything together and let it sit for a few minutes while the figs begin releasing their juices.
2. Bring it to a boil.
   Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring frequently until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Let it get jammy.
   Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 35–45 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the figs soften, gently mash them with the back of a wooden spoon or potato masher. Leave a few little pieces intact if you like a more rustic texture.

4. Check the consistency.
   The jam will thicken as it cooks—and will thicken even more as it cools. To test it, spoon a little onto a chilled plate. Wait about a minute, then push your finger through the center. If the line remains instead of immediately running back together, your jam is ready.

   Using a thermometer? Look for approximately 220°F / 104°C.

5. Jar it up.
   Remove and discard the citrus peels. Carefully spoon the warm jam into clean jars, leaving about ¼ inch of space at the top. Seal and allow to cool completely before refrigerating.

Storage

This is a refrigerator/freezer jam, not a shelf-stable canned preserve.

Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks, or freeze for up to 6 months. If freezing in glass jars, leave additional headspace for expansion.

A Little Jar With a Lot of Possibilities

Toast may be the obvious answer, but fig jam deserves to get out more.

Try it with goat cheese, feta, Manchego, aged cheddar, or Brie. Add a spoonful to a cheese and charcuterie board. Spread it inside a grilled cheese sandwich. Pair it with roasted pork or chicken. Spoon it over Greek yogurt. Or spread it onto crostini with whipped feta and finish with chopped pistachios.

And for a very Asteri finish, drizzle those fig-and-cheese crostini with a little Asteri Extra Virgin Olive Oil just before serving. Sweet fig, salty cheese, citrus, and peppery EVOO? That's a very good reason to open a bottle.

Asteri Kitchen Tip

For an easy appetizer, spread whipped feta over toasted baguette slices, add a small spoonful of fig jam, sprinkle with pistachios, and finish with EVOO and fresh thyme.

It looks considerably more impressive than the amount of work involved—which is exactly how entertaining should be.

Nutrition

Approximately 66 calories per serving, based on 23 servings.

Carbohydrates: 17g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Sodium: 1mg