joyfullydwell

It’s Summertime and our garden is in full bloom.  Hooray!  Which can also mean an abundance of things that we can’t quite eat through (double hooray!). Included in this category is our figs. Our tree keeps on giving and we’ve been eating away.

If you don’t eat them within a few short days they start to get mushy and not so yummy anymore.

A great way to keep and enjoy figs is to preserve them. Here’s an easy fig jam or figgy jam (as we call it) recipe to ensure you keep enjoying these yummy natural sweets for time to come!

After picking, wash and store in the fridge  for a few days until you can gather approximately 2 pounds.

Try to pick more… because if you’re like us, everyone keeps snacking on them! Once you’ve colleced two pounds, get jamming! Here’s the recipe…

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 lbs. fresh figs cut in quarters and stems removed
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• Juice of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup water

DIRECTIONS:

• In a medium saucepan, toss the figs, sugar, lemon and vanilla to coat.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the mixture thickens.
• Turn heat down to low and add water. Let simmer approximately 15-20 minutes.
• Turn heat off and let cool. Once cooled, spoon into a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth.
• Spoon the jam into two pint size jars.
• Allow jars to cool to room temperature, and store the jam in the refrigerator for up to 2 months.