FIGS - Jelly and Topping

Emily has a wonderful fig tree in her back yard...

and the figs are ready!  (Too bad she's out of town at the lake!)

I picked plenty to make some mock strawberry jelly.

First, wash figs. Cut off stems and cut in half.

You will need 2 - 3 ounce packages of Strawberry Jell-O.

Measure about 3 to 4 cups figs, mashed and crushed well (using skin and all)

 Place mashed figs, Jell-O and sugar in a large saucepan.

Bring to a boil. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour quickly into sterilized jars. Seal immediately or cover immediately with melted paraffin.

My mom always does the melted paraffin, but I actually did my jars in a water bath.

Batch number 1 completed. 

Here is the complete recipe for the

Mock Strawberry Jam made with Figs

3 c. figs, mashed and crushed well (using skin and all)
2 1/2 c. sugar
2 (3 oz.) pkg. strawberry Jell-O
Wash figs. Cut off stems. Mash/crush completely. Place mashed figs, Jell-O and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Boil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
Pour quickly into sterilized jars. Seal immediately or cover immediately with melted paraffin.

Moving on to the Second batch...Blackberry and Figs

You begin with about 3 cups of blackberries and 3 cups of chopped figs!

You can chop up the figs more, if you like, but I find they soften and break up during cooking, and if I want smaller pieces, I just use a potato masher to mash them while cooking.

I mashed both the blackberries and the figs together (yes, this batch will have seeds.)  I added 2 and 1/4 cups of sugar to the fruit mix. 

Put the pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning). It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to get it to a full boil (the kind that can not be stirred away).

Now I did not use pectin in this batch.  Blackberries have a naturally high amount of pectin and really don't need much else to "gel" the fruit.

Since I was creating this more as a "sauce or topping" for pound cakes, cheese cakes or for a Brie en Croute...I didn't want this batch to gel as much as if I was making a jelly.

I filled my jars to within ¼-inch of the top.  You should wipe any spill off the tops, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water bath.

Boil them for about 10 minutes then set aside to cool.  You will hear the lids pop as the centers "suck" down tight.

Here is batch number 2!

 

The recipe for the Fig Blackberry Sauce:

 

3 cups Chopped Figs

3 cups Blackberries

2 1/4 cups sugar

 

Mash all together in a pot.   Put the pot on the stove over medium to high heat (stir often enough to prevent burning). It should take about 5 to 10 minutes to get it to a full boil (the kind that can not be stirred away).

Fill jars to within ¼-inch of the top. Wipe any spill off the tops, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Then put them into the boiling water bath.

 

Boil them for about 10 minutes then set aside to cool. You will hear the lids pop as the centers "suck" down tight.

I can't decide which I will open first.  We have two swim parties in the next two days, so for sure I'm going to open the Blackberry and Fig "sauce".  I'll let you know what I decide to serve it on top of!!!

Till tomorrow...

debi