French Fig Jam Recipe

Ingredient Notes

This fig jam recipe includes only 3 ingredients and is a French recipe.

Followed the traditional way of preparing this fig jam properly, and you will be rewarded with the real deal, quality fig jam.

That means, this fig jam is prepared with regular sugar and lemon juice. No artificial pectin sugar is used in this jam for various reasons. Pectin sugar has a distinctive taste and I just don't like it.

You can make out the pectin-sugar taste which overshadows the real fruit flavors that I oh so love in my homemade jams and this also the case in this fig jam.

Sugar

A traditional French jam preserve recipe will always use only plain regular sugar. The type of sugar that everyone has at home lying around in the pantry.

Figs

For the figs, pick fresh not too soft and a little firm sweet fruits. Don't ever use figs that are turning bad, this would totally reduce the shelf live of your jam.

It's a big nono! Only use fresh figs.

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is added to the fig jam because figs contain less natural pectin then say apples or lingonberries.

The juice of a lemon contains some pectin, the highest amount of pectin is in the skin of a lemon.

I didn't add the lemon skin here to this recipe because you would need organic pesticide-free lemons and I didn't have that on hand.

However, feel free to add in whole pieces of lemon skin to add natural pectin to your jam. Take out the skin once the jam is set.

Process Overview

To make your own fig jam recipe, follow these 3 main steps.

Detailed instructions are in the recipe card further below.

Step 1

Wash your figs and cut off bad parts.

Cut your figs into quarters and place into your cooking pot with the sugar and lemon juice.

Step 2

Combine all the ingredients in the jam pot and bring to a rolling boil.

Step 3

Reduce the heat but cook while stirring occasionally.

Optional: Reduce the jam to a smooth consistency with a hand blender.

When the jam has reduced and looks translucent, test to see if the jam is set.

Step 4

Pour jam still hot into sterilized jars up to the rim, lock with the lids and turn upside down to create a vacuum.

Label jams and store in a cool and dry place until further use.

FAQs

Here I'm addressing some issues that can happen when your jam hasn't cooked properly, At the same time you can gather useful jam-making tips that I share within each question:

Why is my fig jam runny?

There are a few reasons why your fig jam can turn out runny.

You reduced the amount of sugar in the recipe because you thought it's too sweet and that it contained too much sugar.

The sugar is required is the major preservation agent in a jam, please don't reduce the sugar amount.

The recipe requires the exact amount of sugar to preserve the jam for the months to come.

Besides, you will only use a teaspoon of jam on your breakfast bread or in your yogurt.

You didn’t give your jam a rolling boil or you didn’t cook your jam long enough. The jam setting temperature is 105 Celsius/220 Fahrenheit.

In that case, use a thermometer to help you get the temperature right so that your jam can set properly and doesn't turn runny. You used a pan that wasn’t giving uniform heating.

Some jam got cooked less, some too much. I recommend that you pick a stainless-steel pan or, even better, a French copper jam making pan.

A copper pan cooks the jam uniformly. Make sure to stir frequently too!

You doubled the ingredient amounts to make a bigger batch.

It’s easier to work with a batch of 1-kilogram (2 pounds) fruits, that's why all my jam recipes call only that much fruit.

Trying to jam more than a kilogram at a time can complicate things.

The sugar quantity would need to be adjusted and the more fruit the longer it needs to be cooked to set.

Easiest is to stick to a kilogram (2 pounds) of fruit at a time.

Keep in mind this is a recipe, doesn't call for artificial pectin.

This is a traditional French fig jam recipe. Artificial pectin is not added to French jams. Hence, why you shouldn't reduce the amount of sugar added to the jam.

Why is my jam too thick and hard?

The main reason why your fig jam has turned out hard is because you overcooked it, thinking it was still runny when hot or the jam was cooking on high heat.

Use a thermometer to know when the jam is set, and test on a freezer cold plate or spoon to check if it’s ready.

If it runs it needs some more cooking.

Keep in mind that jam will always appear liquid when it's hot.

It gets thicker when it cools down. That's why the freezer cold plate comes handy because the hot drop of jam cools down instantly and that'when you know if your jam is good to be canned.

If you are afraid to try a fig jam without pectin, then please go ahead and pick a recipe with pectin instead.

We have never cooked a jam at home with pectin, so I can’t help you with that. In fact, my French mum sells her jams in the local farmers market in Austria.

What’s the setting temperature?

The perfect setting temperature for your fig jam is 220 Fahrenheit/105 Celcius.

Uses

Fig Jam is versatile and tastes great not only as a breakfast spread or dessert flavor addition but also used with savory food ingredients such as cheese.

Collect some fig jam uses and ideas below!

• Baked Brie with Fig Jam
• Fig Jam and Goat Cheese
• fig jam prosciutto Crostini
• Fig Balsamic Sauce by lemonsforlulu.com
• Fig Jam Vinaigrette
• Ham and Fig Jam Sandwich
• Fig Brie Walnut and Prosciutto Pizza by sidewalkshoes.com
• Yogurt with a dollop of Fig Jam

Tools

So, before you get into jam making, get the following jam making tools:

• large cooking pot — stainless-steel or preferable copper as it transmits the heat better
• wooden cooking spoon with a long handle so that you don't burn your fingers
• a plate in the freezer, so that you can test if the jam is set and not runny.
• Candy/Jam thermometer
• clean sterilized jars and lids
• a few drops of rum (or other alcohol) for the lids to disinfect further
• jam funnel (larger opening)
• canning tongs, jar lifter to take out the hot sterilized jars
• jam sticker labels to mention jam title and date