Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Vanilla Fig Preserves...

Made Vanilla Fig Preserves on Sunday with my friend Mia. We made 3 batches, using 6 pounds of figs, which turned out to be 15 half-pints (the webpage with the recipe says that the recipe makes 5 1/2 pints, but it must be a typo that should be "half-pints"). It's not nearly as much as it sounds...

In the first two batches, we didn't use vanilla, the vanilla is only in the last batch, which was by far the best, according to our taste tests. I recommend cutting the sugar the recipe calls for in half - so 1 3/4 cups instead of 3 1/2 cups of sugar. It really doesn't need that much sugar for sweetness or to gel.

I have pictures...

This is Mia stirring the pot...


The figs are beginning to cook and release juice...


Processing the jars in a water bath...


Finished jars of Vanilla Fig Preserves...


Altogether from throwing the ingredients in the pot til the finished jars come out of the water bath, each batch takes about an hour if you have everything set up and ready to go and you don't have to wait for the water bath to heat when the preserves are done.

6 comments:

La Duchesse said...

Ooooh.. yumminess...

RaeS said...

:D Which would you prefer I send? Full sugar amount, half-sugar amount, or the vanilla?

La Duchesse said...

Oooooh.. Vanilla, please! :D Figs are sooooo yummy...

RaeS said...

They soooo are!! ;D

Cool! One jar of vanilla fig preserves will be on its way as soon as I can figure out how to pack it safely.

amanuensis said...

Rachel,
You are so lucky to have fresh figs and so kind to offer to share preserves. Thanks.
If you have minute, please peek at my jewelry blog
jewelsoftheblueridge.blogspot.com
Ilana's ima

RaeS said...

Aw, thanks! :D I'm happy to share. There's so many figs at the grocery store and I love making things like this. I'll probably make even more in a few days to give as holiday gifts in December.

You've got some beautiful pieces there! I love the bold colors and large focal pendants. My sister makes and sells jewelry too, on etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5695975