Fig Jam with Brandy and Lemon

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Wash the figs, pat them dry, snip off the stems, and prick each one with a wooden skewer or toothpick.

2. Step 2:

   

   Arrange the prepared figs in a single layer in a wide preserving pan.

3. Step 3:

   

   Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the top.

4. Step 4:

   

   Cover with cheesecloth and leave for 3 days, waiting for the figs to release their juice.

5. Step 5:

   

   Here's what our jam-in-progress looks like after three days.

6. Step 6:

   

   Wash the lemon and squeeze out the juice. Grab a bottle of cognac or brandy from the bar — don't be stingy, pour yourself a glass too. In my case, I used two 100 ml bottles of brandy.

7. Step 7:

   

   Add the liquid ingredients to the figs. DO NOT STIR!

8. Step 8:

   

   Set over the heat and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down to the lowest setting.

9. Step 9:

   

   Over very low heat, cook the figs with the brandy and lemon juice for 40 minutes. Again: DO NOT STIR! Carefully skim off the foam. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for a day.

10. Step 10:

    

    The next day, put the jam over low heat again, bring it to a boil, and cook for another 30 minutes. DO NOT STIR!

11. Step 11:

    

    Let the finished jam cool for about an hour, then spoon it into prepared jars.

12. Step 12:

    

    The figs come out beautifully caramelized — gorgeous and delicious. The syrup is thick and richly flavored. So sweet, so good!