Brown Turkey and Conadria Fig Jam

In my kitchen, August has officially been declared “Figstravaganza Month”. If I think of one more use for figs this season, I might actually faint. Luckily, these beautiful fig jams are a very traditional way of using figs back home. Well this and also dehydrating them for use in the snowy winter months. The best snack my grandmother would offer us during these cold evenings, as we all gathered by the fire, were dried figs with tahini for a dip. A very simple rustic snack and it really hit the spot every time.

So I was inspired to make some fig jam, except I didn’t make it the classic way. I wanted to use other ingredients such as rose petals, lemon oil, flax seeds, muscovado sugar and/or honey. You might be turning away just as you finish imagining these ingredients together. But wait! They weren’t all in the same jam. Here are the results:

Brown Turkey Jam with Rose petals, Lemon oil and Sesame seeds, sweetened with Muscovado sugar
(now you know why this couldn’t be the Title of the post)

6 lbs Brown Turkey figs, ripe
10 dried rose buds
1 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 cup Muscovado sugar
1 tsp lemon oil
1/4 tsp salt

Cut all the figs in half and place in a large pot over high heat and add salt. Stir occasionally. Once the juice starts oozing out, the consistency will turn liquid, lower heat to low and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates, the mixture will thicken. Add rose petals, sugar and lemon oil, mix well and let simmer for another hour, approximately. You will know it’s done when there is no more liquid bubbling, and the jam thickens to a paste. At this point add the sesame seeds and mix well. Let cool before filling the jar. The jam will fill two (1 Qt) Mason Jars.

Conadria Fig Jam with Orange Honey, Flax seeds and Lemon oil

6 lbs Conadria figs, ripe
1/2 cup flax meal
1/2 cup flax seeds
1/2 cup orange honey
1 tsp lemon oil
1/4 tsp salt

Cut all the figs in half and place in a large pot over high heat and add salt. Stir occasionally. Once the juice starts oozing out, the consistency will turn liquid, lower heat to low and let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates, the mixture will thicken. Add flax meal, honey and lemon oil, mix well and let simmer for another hour, approximately. You will know it’s done when there is no more liquid bubbling, and the jam thickens to a paste. At this point add the flax seeds and mix well. Let cool before filling the jar. The jam will fill two (1 Qt) Mason Jars.