Fig Jam with Lemon, Balsamic Vinegar, and Vanilla
This recipe is a combination of things from the New York Times (Martha Rose Shulman's Fig Jam) and a recipe from Cooking Madly (Balsamic Fig). I used tecnique tips from the former and ingredient tips from the latter, but cut that recipe by a third. It makes between 5 and 7 cups.
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs figs (about 4 pints), washed, stemmed, and cut into even dice. (Do not use a food processor.)
2 3/4 cups sugar.
2 teaspoons lemon zest (added to the recipe by me).
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar.
3 teaspoons vanilla extract.
METHOD:
Prepare the base. Put the figs in a nonreactive bowl. Stir in 1 1/3 cups of sugar, and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Put in a nonreactive pot and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Let cool, put in airtight container and refrigerate over night. This develops the natural pectin of the figs.
Make the jam. Prepare jars sufficient to hold 7 cups of jam. (You will probably get less, but it's best to be on the safe side.) Use a canner or a large kettle with a rack on the bottom, deep enough to cover the jars on the rack by at least an inch. Cover the jars with water, add the jamming utensils, bring to a boil, and boil for at least 10 minutes. Put the bands and lids in a saucepan, cover with water, and heat on low while the jars are boiling. Turn off the heat under both jars and lids.
Put the jam base in a thick-bottomed kettle or Dutch oven. This should not be too big, or the jam will burn; I used a one-gallon pot. Stir in all the remaining ingredients except remaining sugar and the vanilla. Bring to a slow boil, add the remaining sugar, return to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until jam passes the cold plate jell test, about 30 minutes.
Turn off heat under jam and stir in the vanilla. Skim off any foam. Fill the jars, making sure the tops are wiped clean and that you leave at least 1/4 inch room at the top. Cover with lids, and screw down bands as tight as you can.
Return jars to the canning kettle, bring to a full boil, cover, and process for 10 minutes. Let stand for another 10 minutes, then remove cover and let stand for yet another 10 minutes. Remove jars from water and stand in a draft-free area on some kitchen towels until cool. Check for sealing, label, and store.
This jam should be refrigerated after opening, as it is lower in sugar than most.
PRODUCTION NOTES:
This made 5.5 cups.
The jam turned darkly glossy as it got near to done. There was no foam.
The 1-cup jars set right away, but it took 24 hours for the small jars.