Last autumn, I was lucky enough to get my hands on a large quantity of figs. My sister, who absolutely loves them, assured me they were delicious. I’m not a fig person myself, but the idea of making caramelised figs to enjoy in winter — and perhaps give as Christmas presents — was too tempting to resist.
The result was apparently a great success, according to my sister! The only problem is that the yield was much smaller than I expected. I made two kilos of figs and ended up with just six or seven jars. Now I regret not making a much bigger batch.
Caramelised figs are a traditional preserve in Romagna, where they are enjoyed with cheese, served alongside desserts or simply eaten by the spoonful. They also make a lovely homemade gift for anyone who appreciates the sweetness of ripe figs and the aroma of lemon.
I didn’t take any photos of my own batch at the time, so the pictures accompanying this post are illustrative images. Perhaps I’ll finally photograph the real thing when I open a jar!
Italian Caramelised Figs Recipe
Ingredients
2 kg firm, not overly ripe figs, green or black
600 g granulated sugar
2 lemons, juice and zest
Method
Wash the figs. Gently wash the figs, taking care not to bruise or split them. They should remain whole throughout the preparation.
Add the sugar and lemon. Arrange the figs upright in a large, heavy-based saucepan, with their pointed ends facing upwards. Sprinkle the sugar over them, then add the finely grated lemon zest and lemon juice.
Leave to rest overnight. Cover the pan and refrigerate overnight, allowing the figs to release their juices and the sugar to begin dissolving.
Cook slowly. Place the pan over low heat and bring the contents to a gentle boil. Cook slowly until the figs are tender and the syrup has thickened and become caramel-like. Stir as little as possible to help the figs keep their shape, and watch carefully towards the end to prevent the syrup from burning.
Prepare for storage. The original recipe recommends transferring the figs and hot syrup into sterilised jars and sealing them while hot. However, this step alone does not make the preserve safe for storage at room temperature. For long-term pantry storage, use a tested preservation recipe and its specified processing method. Otherwise, cool the figs promptly, transfer them to clean containers and keep them refrigerated.
Tips
Choose firm figs that are not overripe, so they are more likely to hold their shape during cooking.
Handle the fruit gently: whole figs look particularly beautiful in the finished preserve.
Cooking time varies with the ripeness of the figs, the size of the pan and how much liquid they release. Look for a thick, glossy syrup rather than relying on a fixed time.
If you want to give these figs as Christmas gifts, make sure the storage method is safe and suitable for the length of time they will be kept.
Storage note: This recipe is based on a traditional method, but the hot-fill and jar-inversion technique is not a validated shelf-stable canning process. Figs are a low-acid fruit, and a safe pantry preserve requires a tested recipe and appropriate processing. See the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s guidance on figs.
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