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    Home » Condiments, Dressings & Sauces » Fig Preserves Recipe with Vanilla

    Fig Preserves Recipe with Vanilla

    Aug 25, 2020 · by Valentina · 12 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    This Fig Preserves Recipe with Vanilla is made with whole vanilla beans and fresh figs. It's fantastic on toast, scones and crackers, as well as grilled meats and poultry. fresh fig preserves in small wooden spoon over small white bowl

    This unique fig preserves recipe is absolutely delicious -- even non fig lovers love it!

    This is an especially excellent recipe to have on hand towards the end of fig season when you might have an abundance of fresh figs (or maybe your neighbors do). 😉

    It's great to have at the ready as it's delicious serves with so many foods.

    I love creating recipes for things that are typically not available or easily found at the grocery store.

    freshly washed whole Brown Turkey figs

    What fig varieties can you use?

    The preserves pictured here are made with Brown Turkey figs, but you can use any variety you like.

    The following fig types will all work well:

    • Kadota
    • Black Mission
    • Brown Turkey
    • Adriatic
    • Calimyrna

    close up of small white pot with whole figs, sugar and vanilla pods

    What's the Difference Between Preserves and Jams

    • Generally both jams and preserves have a 50:50 ratio of sugar to fruit.
    • Jams are a mixture made of crushed fruit and sugar, cooked together -- with or without the addition of pectin. (Pectin is a soluble gelatinous polysaccharide that's naturally present in ripe fruits -- it's used as a thickening agent.)  The amount of pectin added (or not added), depends on the pectin content of the fruit.
    • Preserves, also a mixture of fruit and sugar, are cooked the same way as jams -- the difference is that the fruit in preserves is usually cut into chunks or in some cases left whole. I love the chunks of figs in this fig preserves recipe as much as the apricot chunks in my Basil Apricot Preserves!

    This Fig Preserves recipe is sweet and delicious -- and quite sophisticated when infused with the vanilla beans.

    open vanilla bean pod with beans and small knife

    How to Make Fig Preserves

    - Wash the figs and add them to a medium-sized sauce pot.

    - Use a paring knife to slice open a vanilla pod. With the back of the knife, scrape the vanilla beans into the saucepan with the emptied pod.

    - Add the water, vinegar and sugar and cook until it's soft and thick.

    - Remove the vanilla pods and let it cool to room temperature.

    - Store in an air tight jar or container, where it will keep for a few weeks.

    cooked fig preserves in white pot

    How to Serve it

    • Fig Preserves (with or without vanilla), make for a lovely, low stress appetizer for your weekend brunch. Spread it on a cracker with goat cheese or brie, maybe with a touch of fresh herbs.
    • Try it spread on toast, scones or muffins with a little melted butter, for breakfast to have with your coffee.
    • It is also delicious with savory foods like chicken, duck or pork.
    • And how about a dollop on your ice cream!?

    fig preserves in tiny wooden spoon over white bowl

    Recipe Tips and Substitutions

    • As I said, you can use any variety of fig you like.
    • If you don't have vanilla pods, you can substitute with two teaspoons of vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
    • When cooking the fruit, a little more than mid-way through, you break it into smaller pieces with a wooden or spoon. "Mash" it as little or as much as you'd like, depending on how chunky you want the preserves to be. You can also cut them in half beforehand to make this step a bit easier.
    • If you find yourself with tons of figs, make as much of the preserves as you can at once. Here is a guide to Sterilizing Jars for Preserves.

    I hope you enjoy this Fig Preserves Recipe with Vanilla as much I do.

    More recipes with figs:

    • Upside Down Fresh Fig Coffee Cake
    • Port Glazed Figs with Manchego and Prosciutto
    • Fig Cake with Orange and Brown Sugar Glaze
    fresh fig preserves in small wooden spoon over small white bowl

    Fig Preserves with Vanilla

    Valentina K. Wein
    Vanilla Fig Preserves recipe is made with whole vanilla beans and fresh figs. It's divine on things like toast and crackers, as well as grilled meats and poultry. Everyone loves it!
    *Makes about 1¼ cup
    5 from 1 vote
    Print
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 45 mins
    Total Time 50 mins
    Course Condiments
    Cuisine American
    Servings 8
    Calories 57 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 large (about 7 inch) vanilla pod
    • 1 pound figs, ripe but not too soft (Kadota, Brown Turkey, Mission, or another variety you like )
    • ½ cup water
    • 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
    • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Add figs, water and vanilla to a pot. Wash the figs and place them in a medium-sized sauce pot. Add the water, balsamic vinegar and sugar.
    • Add the vanilla. Use a paring knife to vertically slice open the vanilla pod. With the back of the knife, scrape the vanilla beans into the saucepan and add the emptied pod as well.
    • Cook. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the mixture becomes very soft and thick, about 45 minutes. (About 30 minutes in, use a wooden spatula or a spoon to gently break the figs into smaller pieces.) Remove the vanilla pods and let it cool to room temperature. Store in an air tight jar or container, where it will keep for a few weeks.

    Notes

    Calorie count is only an estimate.
    Keywords sweet condiments, great for brunch
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. angiesrecipes

      August 25, 2020 at 11:06 am

      We love figs! The preserve looks so amazing and I would eat it spoonful 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 27, 2020 at 12:57 pm

        All I need is a spoon, too. Thanks, Angie! 😉 ~Valentina

        Reply
    2. Kelly | Foodtasia

      August 25, 2020 at 2:37 pm

      These fig preserves must be so wonderful, Valentina! Love the vanilla in them!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 27, 2020 at 12:56 pm

        Thanks so much, Kelly. Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    3. Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!

      August 26, 2020 at 7:35 am

      This sounds marvelous! Any fig preserve or jam I've ever had, was made with dried figs. I'll bet this fresh-fig version is something special. I love the idea of pairing it with something creamy like goat cheese. Great recipe!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 27, 2020 at 12:56 pm

        oooh so good with goat cheese! love that plan. thanks, Jeff. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    4. John / Kitchen Riffs

      August 26, 2020 at 7:50 am

      I love figs, and this looks lovely. I'd need to buy twice as many figs as your recipe calls for, though. Half for the recipe, half to eat out-of-hand as I make it. 🙂

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 27, 2020 at 12:16 pm

        Sounds like a good plan, John. Hope you love it and thanks! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    5. 2pots2cook

      August 27, 2020 at 1:34 am

      Figs are my favourite fruits. Must do your version ! Thank you for your brilliant idea!

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 27, 2020 at 12:15 pm

        Thanks so much, Davorka! Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    6. simonandrew

      August 27, 2020 at 6:05 am

      This looks amazing! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • valentina

        August 27, 2020 at 12:15 pm

        Thank you so much! Hope you try and love it! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply

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