‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves‘figs in syrup’ preserves

LAST CHANCE to save those LAST FIGS ! You began by eating them whole and fresh in August, then a few weeks later you probably sliced them in half and added them to salads or to accompany sweet and savory preparations, then you went a step further and baked them in different preparations and maybe you made some jams too at the beginning of September but now is the LAST SPRINT to use up the LAST FRUITS out there. 

MAKE PRESERVES NOW (and I mean today) !

Use up the remaining small, perhaps unripe but still whole fruits (no slicing or crushing, just piercing) by slowly preserving them over several days in and out of a syrup made of water, sugar and citrus juice and a few warming spices. The idea is quite simple, whatever the weight of the figs is, use an equivalent weight of sugar and an equivalent weight of liquid.

You’ll alternate and modify the amount of time that the figs sit in the syrup and the amount of time they are out of the syrup, which will allow them to still remain whole, not fall apart and slightly firm up before plumping up again in the syrup. It does take several days to do but only about 5 minutes active time each day over a 5-day period (but you can do it over 3 days too but the result is less satisfying). Trust me.

This was a short & sweet post. The cold has set in and the heating hasn’t been turned on yet so now I really need to reorganize my closets today and bring out the warmer stuff for the coming colder months of autumn and winter . . . brrrrr :)

‘figs in syrup’ preserves

29.09.2018

500 grams

ingredients

  • 500 grams (5 cups) small and firm figs (about 25 weighing 20 grams each)
  • 500 grams (2 ½ cups) golden cane sugar
  • 120 ml (½ cup) citrus juice (from 2 limes, 2 lemons and 1 orange)
  • 380 ml (1 ½ cups + 1 tbsp ) water
  • 1 gram (¼ tsp) fine sea salt
  • 1-2 vanilla pods (split in 2)
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 6-10 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf

instructions

  • wash and dry the figs (that should be small, quite firm and not too ripe) and  use a small cocktail skewer or toothpick to pierce about 12 holes in each fruit
  • toss them with the citrus juice and salt and lay them in a large casserole in one tight layer with the vanilla pod, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf and cloves and pour the remaining citrus juice on top
  • cover with the sugar and let them sit overnight for 12 hours but ideally 16-24 hours to release their juices
  • remove the figs (which have shrunken a bit) and place them in a frying basket (that fits perfectly in your casserole) in one tight layer
  • day 1 : add the water to the thick sugary syrup, stir and heat up the syrup at high heat until it bubbles, then carefully lower the basket of figs inside, let it begin bubbling again, then turn off the heat (but leave on the range) and let cool down until the next day or 24 hours (gently place a small lid on top of the figs to keep them from floating on the surface)
  • day 2 : remove the basket of figs, heat up the syrup again until bubbling, place the basket of figs back inside, turn off the heat and let cool down and remove the basket of figs after 12 hours and cover the syrup with a lid
  • day 3 : heat up the syrup until bubbling, place the basket of figs inside, let it reach bubbling then turn off heat and let cool down for 6 hours and remove the basket of figs and cover the syrup with a lid
  • day 4 : heat up the syrup until bubbling, place the basket of figs inside, let it reach bubbling then turn off heat and let cool down for 3 hours and remove the basket of figs and cover the syrup with a lid
  • note : if the syrup thickens too much, simply dilute with some water so it could resemble a maple syrup and not honey
  • day 5 : wash and sterilize 2-3 jars in a hot oven for 15 minutes, heat up the syrup again until bubbling, turn off the heat, plunge the basket of figs back inside and let sit for 5-10 minutes, remove the basket and transfer the figs to the hot jars, then pour the hot syrup on top, close with the lids and turn the jars upside down and let cool completely before turning upright again and reserve in the pantry
  • serve the preserved figs in syrup as a dessert or a topping or to accompany salted and cured meats and salty semi-hard cheeses (like sharp aged cheddar cheese or spanish manchego or greek kefalograviera) …

recette suivante

3 oven semi-dried vegetables & their 3 spreads : green peppers & red tomatoes & white mushrooms

3 oven semi-dried vegetables & their 3 spreads : green peppers & red tomatoes & white mushrooms

It’s officially the END OF SUMMER & the BEGINNING OF AUTUMN. It’s the end of some things that you will miss and the beginning of other things to look forward to. It’s...

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