Fig, Apple & Pomegranate Jam
Following the publication of Diana Henry’s latest book, Salt, Sugar, Smoke, I noticed a flurry of tweets about her fig and pomegranate jam. Having become a bit of a fig addict recently whilst they’ve been selling reasonably cheaply, I was intrigued. I didn’t have all of the ingredients required but I did have figs, pomegranate molasses and apples from my mother’s garden. Being a bit of a purist, I didn’t want to use sugar with added pectin, so I adapted Diana’s recipe to omit the ingredients I didn’t have and use more apple & lemon than she had stated to help set the jam. I was going to add chocolate, but at the last minute decided I wanted to taste the fruity flavours in all their purity.
This is how I did it:
- Washed 12 fresh figs (600g), then removed the tops and quartered them.
- Peeled, cored and chopped 3 cooking apples.
- Placed in a pan with 12 fl oz water.
- Grated in the zest of two organic lemons, then added the juice of both.
- Added 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses.
- Brought to the boil, then simmered for a few minutes until everything was soft.
- Added 600g golden granulated sugar and stirred until dissolved.
- Boiled for about 15 minutes until setting point was reached. I tested this by placing a saucer in the freezer, spooning in a bit of jam and seeing if it wrinkled when pushed with my finger.
- Poured jam into warm sterilised jars. I made 4 standard jars and 4 mini ones to be used as Christmas presents.
The jam came out a beautiful jewel like deep pink and tasted fantastic: figgy, but tart. The consistency was just right, not too runny and not too solid. I am glad this turned out as well as I’d hoped and I will be able to use it as Christmas gifts. I’m not yet sure how I will combine this with chocolate, but I surely will at some stage.
Susan over at A Little Bit of Heaven on a Plate is running her Home Made and Well Preserved Challenge again this year. Last year I entered apple and lemon curd, which I have made several times since as it is so good. There are two categories, Chutney and Jam and both will be judged with a lovely prize for the best in each category. I am, of course, entering this into the jam category which is, rather scarily to be judged by Vivian Lloyd, WI judge and author of First Preserves.
Laura of How to Cook Good Food has chosen pomegranates as this month’s One Ingredient, so I am happily submitting this to it. One Ingredient is co-hosted by Nazima of Franglais Kitchen.
The letter for Alpha Bakes happens to be J this month, so I am submitting this as J for Jam. Alpha Bakes is a monthly challenge hosted alternately by Caroline Makes and The More Than Occasional Baker.
manu
8th November 2012 at 8:02 amWhat an autumn jam!!
Delicious with cheese…
Have a nice day
manu
Choclette
8th November 2012 at 6:43 pmThanks Manu, I wouldn’t have thought of eating this with cheese, but it’s not a bad idea 🙂
Nazima FranglaisKitchen
8th November 2012 at 9:16 amwhat a gorgeous jam – i have been planning to make something similar too so will be trying your recipe out
Choclette
8th November 2012 at 6:45 pmThanks Nazima. It’s a great jam for Christmas with all that figgy goodness and colour.
Foodycat
8th November 2012 at 10:41 amIt’s a lovely book, although the one thing I have made so far was not completely successful.
Choclette
8th November 2012 at 8:21 pmI haven’t seen the book, but if Crazy Water Pickled Lemons is anything to go by, it would be her writing more than anything that I’d be wanting it for.
Vanessa @ Cakes and Teacups
8th November 2012 at 1:03 pmGlad your jam turned out nice, fig are one of my favourite jams. What a lovely gift to receive on Christmas : )
Choclette
8th November 2012 at 8:57 pmThanks Vanessa, fig jam seems appropriate for Christmas somehow 🙂
Gina Baker
8th November 2012 at 4:24 pmThat sounds delicious. Sadly, I did not get around to doing any jam this year. 🙁
Choclette
8th November 2012 at 9:01 pmThere’s still time Gina 😉
laura@howtocookgoodfood
8th November 2012 at 6:23 pmI have also noticed lots of chat about Diana Henry’s latest book and this is certainly the recipe I would choose as I am also a big fig fan. It must be the most wonderful colour as well as having a good texture from the crunchy fig seeds. I know you will find a way of combining this with chocolate to great effect and I also like the way you chose not to use sugar with added pectin.
I had a nightmare with my hedgerow jelly and had to re-boil it three times but if I get a chance to make this I hope for better results first time!
Thanks for entering One Ingredient xx
Choclette
8th November 2012 at 9:07 pmLaura, I know you are a fig fan. I put my latest obsession with figs entirely at your door 😉
I was expecting the colour to be a rather dull brown as is fig jam I have bought before, so I was really surprised by the lovely colour. Did your jelly have crab apples in it? If so, you shouldn’t have had any problems.
Chele
8th November 2012 at 8:16 pmWhat a lovely colour and I love the flavour combo too. Never thought I would say this, but I think chocolate may have been a step too far in this case.
Choclette
8th November 2012 at 9:16 pmWell I did think adding chocolate might make it into a particularly appealing chocolate spread, but I decided to leave that to another time – unspecified!
A Trifle Rushed
8th November 2012 at 9:41 pmThe jam is lovely isn’t it, I made a small batch a few weeks ago.
I’ve spent all day making chutneys, liqueurs and mincemeat, so I really must enter them into a few events.
I’m going to try your apple and lemon curd, it sounds scrumptious.
Jude x
Choclette
9th November 2012 at 8:34 pmOh did you blog about it Jude? Must come over and have a look. Did you follow Diana’s recipe exactly? I’m just imagining your larder now packed full of delicious things in jars. Must think about making some mincemeat again – last year’s was delicious.
Phil in the Kitchen
8th November 2012 at 11:28 pmFigs and pomegranate molasses – that sounds like a marriage made in heaven to me. Lovely stuff.
Choclette
9th November 2012 at 9:10 pmOh it truly is Phil 🙂
rita cooks italian
8th November 2012 at 11:59 pmThis is a fantastic Christmas gift! It is an unusual combination fig and pomegranate to me!! It sounds very Christmassy. I love figs but I do not use pomegranate (the tiny seeds drive me crazy!!).
Choclette
10th November 2012 at 7:39 pmThanks Rita, I know just what you mean about pomegranate seeds, they can be very annoying. I used pomegranate molasses here, so all I had to do was open the bottle 😉
Malli
9th November 2012 at 12:07 amLooks absolutely stunning, colors are brilliant and I love the combination of fruits in the jam!!
Choclette
10th November 2012 at 7:48 pmThank you Malli, it’s a good one for sure 🙂
Baking Addict
9th November 2012 at 12:15 amWow this sounds like a delicious combination of flavours. I am surprised you left out the chocolate 😛 Thanks for entering AlphaBakes.
Choclette
10th November 2012 at 7:49 pmThanks Ros, it was a tough decision 😉
underthebluegumtree
9th November 2012 at 7:10 amFig season starts next month in South Africa I think so I am bookmarking this in anticipation!
Choclette
10th November 2012 at 7:50 pmIf you like figs, you’ll love this jam 🙂
thelittleloaf
9th November 2012 at 9:19 amWhat a gorgeous recipe and combination of flavours. I need to start using figs in cooking more often – they barely make it past the front door before we devour them raw!
Choclette
10th November 2012 at 8:05 pmFresh figs can be so delicious, but it’s good to be able to capture their essence for all those months when they are out of season.
Jacqueline
9th November 2012 at 2:13 pmMmmm, that does sound good Choclette 🙂
Choclette
10th November 2012 at 8:25 pmThanks Jac 🙂
Karen S Booth
9th November 2012 at 8:37 pmThis sounds divine Choclette, and I am a big lover of fig and pomegranate as a combination, keep on jamming I say. Karen
Choclette
10th November 2012 at 8:13 pmI’m with you on the jamming front Karen. I don’t make the quantity you make, but I do have another I’ve recently made – all to be revealed very soon 😉
The Caked Crusader
11th November 2012 at 4:42 pmWhat a lovely combo of flavours – like the idea of the pomegranate; bet it stopped it being too sweet and added some tang
Choclette
13th November 2012 at 7:18 amThanks CC, I can’t bare commercial jam because it is so sweet – this one is perfect.
Jayne
13th November 2012 at 2:09 pmWhat lovely jam! I love the colour! As I dont use white sugar I also never use jam sugar with added pectin. I made fig jam in the summer but think the addition of pomegranete molasses would be wonderful! Great recipe.
Choclette
18th January 2013 at 1:06 pmThanks Jayne, this is my first venture into fig jam making and I was very pleased.