Help! Need recipe for fig jam ASAP!!

I have made this a couple of times...

and it is lovely when I first open the jar. After sirtting int he fridge for a bit, it crystallizes into a total rock.

What am I doing wrong?

 
Oh Gay!! Thank you! How could I have forgotten the jam guru himself!! Dear Steve...

I was the blessed recipient of some of his jam years ago. So I made his recipe today and used a very good balsamic instead of lemon juice. WOW - amazing!!! The taste is incredible and I don't even like figs, I made it for someone else. I kept boiling and testing and about 35 min. later my patience was done - it still ran a little when I did the tilt test on a frozen dish. But it has set in the fridge REALLY firm. I will make sure it is room temp when I serve it.

 
When you say crystallize do you mean like with sugar crystals--or just harden

to solidness. I wonder if you overcooked the jell stage, but it wouldn't seem so because it is OK at first.
I am planning to get some figs today and make some jam using my new to me method which will be 4c chopped figs and 2C sugar. Steve used no added pectin so I may do that also since they have so much. This method works with green tomatoes also.

 
It forms small sugar crystals and turns almost rock hard

The first time I made it, I cooked it until it was thickened to a jammy consistency.
The second time, since it solidified the first time, I cooked it a bit less, but same result.

 
I guess if I had to guess there isn't enough liquid for the amount of figs. It's too bad

for MANY reasons Steve can't tell us. I wish he had quantified the figs in volume rather than weight (as he did for the sugar). I am enjoying my jams and jellies with the ratio of 2:l fruit to sugar. It is a lot less sweet and very delicate.
Clarifying--the figs may be too dry to incorporate the amount of sugar used. Maybe adding some liquid would help. I am pretty sure I will have to do that--figs are not overly juicy and don't macerate as other fruits do, IME.
Got my figs today and will try a batch of jam tomorrow. I think it might be interesting to add some chile to a batch to serve over chevre for an appy.

 
I am making fig jam today. Just as information, 2# of figs makes 4C of diced figs.

I had mentioned further down that I wished Steve had used volume for both figs and sugar. It would seem his 6C of sugar is about 2C per quart of diced figs. I am letting them macerate now to get some liquid into the equation.
they are really sweet all on their own and I am considering adding another pound of figs to the 2C of sugar I have in the pot already.
Will report further.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top