Fig and Orange Jam (low sugar)

Mr BBB and I are heading down to Melbourne this weekend, which is exciting. But I want to share with you another source of excitement in our household this week. Well excitement of the jam variety that is ;)

My lovely neighbour surprised me the other night with a big bag of figs, picked fresh from the abundant fig tree in his backyard (and before the local bats could have their fill!)

Not wanting to waste them, but being skeptical that Mr BBB and I could get through the whole bag before they turned,  I decided to try my hand at fig jam.

    

There are a tone of recipes online for fig jam, but I was quite shocked to see that some of them called for as much as 6 cups of sugar!  Now, while I enjoy a sugar rush as much as the next person, 6 cups just seems crazy to me.

So instead, I set about making a low-sugar version. After all, I wanted to taste the wonderful figs, and not be overwhelmed by sugar.  I also wanted to create a jam that was rich in flavour, and a little spicy.

Say hello to my Fig and Orange Jam :)

Sprinkled with sugar, agave and spices…

Then simmered with orange over a low heat…

Until thick and rich.

Sweet heaven in a bowl.

Rich a spicy, without being too sweet.

And, while the temptation was to eat it by the spoonful…

I did restrain myself and spoon it into little jars to pass out amongst the family...

And of course, my fig supplier neighbour.

Albeit after a few spoonfuls made it into my mouth in the process ;)

Fig and Orange Jam

This is an easy jam, showcasing wonderful figs that are in abundance in Australia at the moment.  Low in sugar, but rich in flavour, you will be tempted to eat spoonfuls straight out of the jar. Not that there is anything wrong with that ;)

• 1kg figs, chopped
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup agave nectar
• Juice and rind of 1 orange
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.
2. Transfer the fig mixture to a medium saucepan. Gently bring to a slow simmer, then cover and continue cooking for 45 minutes. Be sure to stir the mixture on occasion to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. You can also use a potato masher to break up the figs during the cooking process.
3. Allow to cool, then spoon into sterilised jars.

* This jam wont last too long due to the reduction in sugar and absence of pectin. The solution? Divide it into small jars to distribute amongst friends and family. That way everyone can get a little taste!

What about you? Have you ever made your own jam?

Happy Baking :)