Impulsively picked up a lot of figs on your last trip to the supermarket? Put them to use and try making these pickled figs in spiced syrup.
The recipe is super simple, needs minimal ingredients and is a great way to put those delicate and fragile fruits to last longer. The figs are cooked and softened in a sweet and subtly spiced syrup, can be stored for weeks, and be used as a delightful way to amp up your simple recipes.
Ready to give the recipe a shot? Here’s all you need to know about it before you do.
Jump to:
What's So Great About the Recipe?
While there are quite a few methods to preserve food for longer, this method in specific, works wonderfully for figs and other fragile fruits.
I love how I can just spend a few extra minutes in the kitchen over the weekend to get this ready, and have a nice little supply of the iron and mineral rich fruit ready!
Ingredients
- Fresh figs
- Black peppercorns
- White peppercorns
- Apple cider vinegar
- Cinnamon sticks
- Fennel seeds
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make the Pickled Figs in Sugar Syrup
Combine sugar, vinegar, water and spices in a large stock pot.
Over medium high heat, bring mixture to a boil.
Once the mixture boils, cut down the heat to a simmer and transfer the figs into the simmering syrup carefully.
Simmer the figs in the syrup for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Turn off the heat and ladle the figs, syrup and spices (if so desired) into clean jars.
Place the prepared lids and rings on jars and screw finger tight.
Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes for pints or 25 minutes for quarts.
Remove from the canner and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
Hint: If you're trying your hands at canning for the first time, you may want to start out small, and use a simple canning kit. I recently got my hands on one and I totally love how affordable it is!
Substitutions
- Apple cider vinegar lends the syrup a nice dash of acidity that balances out the sweetness. If you don’t have apple cider vinegar, you can make do with white vinegar too.
- If you don't have the whole spices the recipe calls for, you could use powdered spices instead as well.
Variations
- Ginger can be a great addition to these pickled figs. You can use fresh ginger or stick to dried, powdered ginger. The earthiness of the ginger will complement the sweetness of the syrup and the figs wonderfully.
- Cardamom is another excellent spice to consider adding into the mix.
💭Top Tip
If your figs have ended up mushy, you can serve them with some vanilla ice-cream and turn it all into a wickedly delicious dessert.
Equipment
Storage
Your pickled figs can be stored in glass jars and canned if you plan to use them for a longer time. In glass jars, they can stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.
I love using these glass jars in specific. They work wonderfully not just for my adventures in canning, but also for meal prep.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Figs are naturally soft, and they might break while cooking. If you’d like the figs to be soft and tender, but still holding their shape, you can add them a little later into the syrup.
- Another great idea is to remove the figs from the syrup while you’re allowing it to cool down. This will keep the figs from cooking even further and eventually breaking apart.
- Letting the whole spices stay in the jar along with the figs can be great. It’ll help deepen and intensify the flavors and will also lend the figs a nice rustic touch.
- If you really want to remove the spices, transfer the figs to the jar and strain the syrup using a clean muslin cloth, removing the spices.
- If your figs have ended up mushy, you can serve them with some vanilla ice-cream and turn it all into a wickedly delicious dessert.
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
These rich and flavorful pickled figs can be the perfect accompaniment with your roast meat- specifically duck, chicken and lamb.
The figs can also be a nice way to add flavor to your breakfast bowls like oatmeal and hot cereals. You can also spoon some of it over some unsweetened yogurt and top it all with granola.
The figs also act as a wonderful topping for your pancakes and waffles.
Enjoyed trying out this recipe? Inspired enough to try some more fun and interesting recipes in your kitchen? Here are a few good ones you might want to take a look at.
FAQs
With this recipe, it is best to let the figs shine as the key ingredient. If you want to, however, you can add in some green cardamom and/or allspice berries to lend the syrup some extra flavor and deliciousness.
You can also throw in some freshly grated nutmeg into the mix if you want to.
When stored correctly, these figs can last months. If you don’t want to go through the process of canning them, you can just transfer it to a glass jar and refrigerate it.
Remember to use a fresh spoon to serve the figs to extend their shelf life.
Related Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pickled Figs in Spiced Syrup
Ingredients
- 20 pcs Fresh figs
- 1 tablespoon Black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon White peppercorns
- 1 cup Apple cider vinegar
- 4 pcs Cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 6 cup organic sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Combine sugar, vinegar, water and spices in a large stock pot.
- Over medium high heat, bring mixture to a boil.
- Once the mixture boils, cut down the heat to a simmer and transfer the figs into the simmering syrup carefully.
- Simmer the figs in the syrup for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and ladle the figs, syrup and spices (if so desired) into clean jars.
- Place the prepared lids and rings on jars and screw finger tight.
- Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes for pints or 25 minutes for quarts.
- Remove from the canner and allow to cool completely at room temperature.
