And thyme is always in our garden.
And this recipe for fig jam could not be simpler.
No pectin, special equipment, water baths, or concerns about botulism.
Just enough jam for your morning toast this week.
And maybe a small jar for a neighbor, too.
Yep, it’s fig time. And time to make jam.
~ David
Thyme-and-Lime-Scented Fig Jam
1 pound 2 ounces fresh figs – brown, black, or golden
2 1/2 tablespoons water
1 small bunch thyme, tied with a string
zest strips of one small lime
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lime juice
Start by placing the figs in a bowl and covering them with boiling water for 10 minutes. This will soften the skins and flesh. Drain.
Place the water, thyme, and lime zest in a heavy-bottomed pan. (Make sure you count the number of zest strips so that you know how many to remove.) Stem and coarsely chop softened figs, and add to the pan. Add the sugar and stir well.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, increase heat to medium-high and boil until thick, stirring often to prevent scorching. This will take about 10 minutes.
Take off the heat and remove the thyme bouquet and lime zest strips with tongs. Using an immersion blender, purée the figs until “chunky-smooth.” (You will need to decide what that means for you – do you like it chunkier or smoother? There is no right or wrong!)
Add the lime juice and boil for one minute longer, stirring constantly. Scrape the jam into decorative pots, bowls, or jars. Let cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap or jar lids, and keep refrigerated.
Make about 2 cups.
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Gerlinde de Broekert
August 19, 2017 at 3:09 pmI love fig jam and I used to make a lot of it because my father in law had a tree in his garden. Thanks for the great tip of covering the figs with boiling water to soften the skin. Have a great weekend.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 20, 2017 at 3:37 amSoaking the fig in boiling water really does help to soften them! You are so fortunate to have a figtree in the family, Gerlinde!
Sippity Sup
August 19, 2017 at 3:22 pmThe thyme is a lovely touch. So is the small batch idea with no canning. Figs come ripe at such varying times even on the same tree so it's easy to harvest just a pound at a time. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
August 20, 2017 at 3:38 amI don't mind canning, Greg, but it often leaves us with more than we can use or give away, thus my small batch recipe. I do this with all fruits!
Marcelle
August 19, 2017 at 5:47 pmI can't wait until I have enough grown-up, ripened figs on my tree to make this jam, David! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 20, 2017 at 3:39 amI am (happily) jealous, Marcelle!
Susan Manfull
August 19, 2017 at 10:40 pmThis sounds very easy! We will be in Provence soon, where I know I will find some good figs!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 20, 2017 at 3:39 amYou should definitely make a small batch while you are there, Susan! The group would love it!
John | heneedsfood
August 20, 2017 at 6:44 amFigs are all over the place at the moment, here in Italy, and I salivate every time I see a tray at the markets. If this jam isn't reason enough to buy some, then I don't know what is.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2017 at 1:50 pmWell, John, if not jam I would say tarts. If not tarts, I would wrap them in prosciutto with some cheese and grill them. Or, as you saw in Colombia, simmer them then stuff them with ariquipe!
Cali
August 20, 2017 at 1:17 pmYour Thyme and Lime Scented Fig Jam looks simple yet elegant. We have been fortunate to have fresh figs from our yard and will have to make some. Thank you for sharing!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2017 at 1:51 pmThanks,. Cali – I received your comment last evening while I was in the middle of making another batch! SO easy, and so good.
Linda G
August 21, 2017 at 2:10 amOn my way to Tuscany for 2 months, will be staying with friends with lots of fig trees! Can't wait to make this for them. (They let me take over the kitchen) Can you imagine Italians that don't like to cook?
Cocoa & Lavender
August 21, 2017 at 2:32 pmLinda – we have Italian neighbors who both like to cook and go out to eat. But what I find strange is that when we rent farmhouses or villas in Italy – we are going to Tuscany in 2 weeks! – there is little evidence that anyone cooks in these villas! And our Italian landlords and ladies are shocked that we Americans want to cook. Go figure.
Unknown
August 21, 2017 at 2:52 pmit is never fig time here in London!, unfortunately. the figs on sale are really sad.
I m off to Tuscany in two weeks time too David (where r u going?) and I have always had the same problem: asking the renters to provide at least a decent pan and knive (even if, I often bring my own knife,to to be honest)
stefano
ps: yes! figs and thyme is a beautiful combination: I used tomato caramel figs: figs, unpeeled, poached in huge amount of sugar + few sprigs thyme: the sugar melts into this amazing herbal caramel/the lot refrigerated and eaten cold…
Cocoa & Lavender
August 22, 2017 at 2:24 pmStefano – we are lucky here that our most bland of supermarkets even carry figs at this time of year. I wish I could send you some!
I will be making your caramelized figs with the next batch I can get my hands on – although that might be next season! How long is the poaching?
Unknown
September 2, 2017 at 10:01 amciao david, apologies for my reply
this is the jane grigson's recipe that I use as a reference
http://tinyurl.com/y7pbyqer
Cocoa & Lavender
September 2, 2017 at 3:33 pmThanks, Stefano! Love it!
All That I'm Eating
August 22, 2017 at 11:40 amThis sounds like such a fantastic jam recipe. I love using herbs in sweet food.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 22, 2017 at 2:25 pmThanks, Caroline! I, too, love adding herbs where you least expect them!
Inger @ Art of Natural Living
August 22, 2017 at 4:37 pmI love figs–enough to have considered trying to raise a potted tree! You jam is lovely and I so understand the small batch idea. I have been doing a few pints of pickles most weeks all summer as the CSA pickles straggle in. (My husband is a pickle fiend).
Cocoa & Lavender
August 23, 2017 at 3:00 pmWhen we lived in Maine, we had a fig tree in a pot. We got 1-2 figs each year! 🙂 And that was in a good year. Still, it was nice to have and think of Italy… or Provence…
Emma - Bake Then Eat
August 23, 2017 at 9:01 pmOh fig jam is amazing and yours looks so beautiful. I would love a jar in my cupboard.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 24, 2017 at 3:01 pmWish you lived next door, Emma – I would bring you some!
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
August 25, 2017 at 10:28 pmDavid, your fig jam photos had me sighing. I love doing tiny batches of jam, instead of getting into a big hoo-ha! And I haven't done a single thing with figs this year. Beautiful!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 30, 2017 at 1:59 pmIt's funny how people think that they need to make dozens of jars of jam to "make it worth their while," Jean! So easy to make a small batch fresh for company!
Frank
August 26, 2017 at 12:23 pmI do love figs. In theory, I prefer eating them whole, just peeled (or not). But in practice, you're right to make jam. Too often the figs I can get are disappointingly bland. Jamming really brings out their flavor. And the thyme is a lovely touch.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 30, 2017 at 2:01 pmFrank – I love them fresh, too, especially when plucked from the tree on the middle of a summer day. The fig is warm and incredibly sweet… but I love jam, too. I guess I want it all!
Ngeun
August 28, 2017 at 11:19 amA gorgeous post David, photos and recipe. I love all three ingredients and the jam looks very appetising. I can almost smell it from here. I love the pretty bouquet of thyme.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 30, 2017 at 2:01 pmThanks, Ngeun! I find thyme is one of the hardest herbs to photograph. It's spindly nature makes it lool twitchy!
Valentina
August 31, 2017 at 8:23 pmWith my dad's Mission Fig tree about to explode with figs, and my tiny herb garden full with thyme, I have no excuse! I'm making this! Yum!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 31, 2017 at 9:34 pmValentina- Lucky you to have such a great source of fresh figs! Color me jealous.
Paula | Vintage Kitchen
September 3, 2017 at 11:04 amI absolutely adore figs, especially cooked as jam or in syrup. They have such a short season, we should all be making jam! I also like to eat them raw with prosciutto, but you need to have good flavorful ones. I make a jam with tequila (!), never tried it with thyme. Sounds promising David! Good week my friend!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 3, 2017 at 11:51 pmJam with tequila sounds wonderful! I bet lime marmalade with tequila would be especially good!