If you see figs at the farmers market, grab ‘em and make this quick and delicious jam.
1 1/2 c. figs sliced
1/2 c. peeled orange (or lemon or lime) diced, plus the chopped peel (outer only)
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 t. each ginger, cloves, and cinnamon
1/2 t. butter
Put ingredients in large glass bowl and let sit for 30 min. Cook in microwave on high 15-17 min., stirring every 2-3 min. after it comes to a boil. Toward end of time, check thickness by putting a spoonful of the jam on a small plate from the freezer and running your finger through it. If the jam ripples and leaves a path, it is firm enough. Put in jars and refrigerate. If the jam turns out too firm, call it a fig paste and serve with cheese and crackers.
This recipe can be used on many different citrus fruits! Adapt to the fruit of your choice!
Use a vegetable peeler to peel the colored part of fruit. Chop or thinly slice peel. Juice fruit. Loosely fill an 8 c. measure with peel and then add juice to fill 8 c. completely. Put in large pot and bring to a full boil. If you want very fresh tasting but slightly firm, peel in the marmalade, go to next step now. If you would like softer peel, continue boiling for a couple of minutes. Add pectin, 1 box powdered pectin per 2 c. peel/juice. (If the fruit mix contains lots of lemon or lots of peel, less pectin is needed.) Bring to full boil and boil one minute. Add sugar to taste (with citrus, start with an amount of sugar equal to the amount of peel/juice mixture and add to taste; with other fruits, start with less than an equal amount.) Bring to full boil again. Then process in water bath for 20 minutes.
You can use same method, with less or no pectin, to make fruit syrup.