Fig, Honey and Walnut Jam

I have gotten more than 50 little figs off my Chicago Hardy fig tree so far this year.   They're a little smaller than a golf ball, but gorgeous and sweet and I'm so excited that I can grow figs here!

I knew I'd need at least 40 for this recipe, so as they ripened, I chopped them up and froze them.    Worked like  a charm and I think they were sweeter coming out of the freezer than fresh.

Notes:  I started with this recipe from Food.com.   The original recipe called for 2 cups of honey, but unless you're using really, really mild honey [not easily available anywhere], the honey totally takes over the flavor.  I wanted fig jam, not fig flavored honey.   So, here's what I did:



Fig, Honey and Walnut Jam
www.rurification.com
3 cups chopped figs [About 40 Chicago Hardy figs, stems removed]
1 cup honey
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
Put figs, lemon juice and honey in a wide bottom saucepan.   Bring to boil, turn down the heat and simmer until thick.  45 minutes or so.   I cooked until it started sheeting off the spatula.  Add walnuts and simmer for another 15 minutes or so.   Put in jars with clean lids.  Store in refrigerator.  Yield: 2 pints.

[I processed my jars of jam for 10 minutes to can it, but I'm not a canning expert so this is me not telling you what to do, but only what I did.]

Ricotta Tart with Honey Cinnamon Glazed Figs

I have figs!

Two years ago I planted a Chicago Hardy fig tree.   In November.   Right before that nuclear winter we had that lasted forever - you know, the one with the Polar Vortex from hell. 

That winter.

And the next spring, the fig came up anyway.  So here's my shout out to Stark Bros where I got the fig and where I get a lot of my fruit trees/plants.   Great stock and they'll replace if the plants don't make it a year. 

The plant died back to the ground, but that spring the fig bore 3 whole figs, which got the size of marbles and then fell off before they ripened.   

Last winter the fig died back again all the way to the ground, but popped up this spring when the ground warmed up.   I have dozens of tiny figs along the branches.    And one ripe one.

The figs get suddenly larger when they ripen, then they turn that color and droop.  And when they are ripe, I will make this tart.  Again.  I made this recipe up myself.   It is delicious.   I plan on eating it several more times this season.

Because I have figs.

 Ricotta Tart with Honey Cinnamon Glazed Figs
www.rurification.com

1 dozen or so very ripe figs [California Mission are fine]
1 lb ricotta cheese
1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon for the filling + 1/4 tsp more cinnamon for the glaze
1/4 cup honey
 Your favorite pie or tart crust for bottom of tart/pie plate.

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350.  Make the crust and put it in the bottom of a tart or pie plate.

Filling:  Mix the ricotta, eggs, sugar, vanilla and 1/4 tsp cinnamon well.   Put into pie crust.

Topping:  Wash and slice the figs in half.   Arrange the figs cut side up around the top of the filling, fat ends out, skinny ends pointing to the center.

Glaze.   Heat the honey and 1/4 tsp cinnamon in the microwave for 30 seconds.   Mix it as well as you can [it won't want to mix].   Pour/spread glaze evenly on all figs and around the top of the tart. [If you LOVE this glaze, feel free to make more.   It's good when it's baked and oozing all over the place.]

Bake 60 minutes.   Cool.    Delicious at room temp or chilled. 

Frog Jam

First off, because I know you're wondering, no frogs were harmed in the creation of this jam.

There are no frogs, or frog parts, in this jam, either.   I mean really! - Eww!

But you know, if you made this for your kids for Halloween, you wouldn't have to tell them that.   Just set it down in front of them and tell them that it's frog jam.   Let them wonder.

This stuff is really, really tasty.   We first found it in an Amish store, where we purchased it with glee. It was so good that I had to recreate it - plus, it was just too much fun not to make myself.

The name comes from the ingredients:  Figs, Raspberries, Orange, Ginger.

Heh.   Don't tell the kids.

Frog Jam
by www.rurification.com

• 1 pkg dried calamyrna figs, 250gm [about 13 figs]
• 4 cups cold water
• 1 cup red raspberries [I used frozen]
• zest and juice from 1 orange
• 4 Tablespoons dry pectin
• 1 Tablespoon minced candied ginger
• 1 1/2 cups sugar

Cut the figs into tiny pieces.   I sliced them into 1/4 inch strips and then cut them again into 1/4 inch cubes.   That worked great.

Put the figs, water, raspberries, orange zest and juice and pectin in a heavy pot.   Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes to reconstitute the figs.   Raise the temp and bring to a hard boil that you can't stir down.   Boil hard for 1 minute.   Add ginger and sugar and return to a hard boil.  Stir constantly!
Ladle into jars.   Makes 3 pints.  

Note:   The flavors need to meld.   Make this at least 2 days in advance and let it sit before you dig in.