Costa Rican Fig Preserves
Make the most of fig season with this traditional Costa Rican fig preserves recipe (Higos en Miel). Fresh figs are gently cooked with sugar, lemon peel, and spices to create a sweet, rich preserve you can enjoy on its own or in many desserts.
Equipment
- Knife and cutting board
- Saucepan and stove
Ingredients
- 2 lbs fresh figs
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5-7 whole cloves
- Rind of half a lemon
Instructions
- Remove the stems from the figs with a knife and check their quality, trimming off any parts that are bad or damaged. Then rinse the figs with plenty of water and place them in a tall pot or saucepan.
- Add the water to the pot with the figs. Peel the rind of half a lemon and add it to the pot, or use lemon juice if you prefer. Both will add flavor and help preserve the figs longer.
- Add the brown sugar (or tapa de dulce), salt, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and cloves. You can also add spices like nutmeg, cardamom, or star anise if you want extra flavor.
- Set the stove to medium heat and cook for about 40 minutes, or until the figs are soft and reach your desired consistency. If your figs are less ripe, they may take longer.
- Remove the figs from the pot and boil the syrup by itself for about 5 minutes, or until it thickens to your liking. Strain the syrup to remove the cinnamon sticks, lemon rind, and cloves, then pour the syrup back over the figs.
- Let the preserves cool completely before refrigerating, or can them immediately if you plan to store them for longer.
Notes
- Pick the figs that look fresh and healthy, without bruises, soft spots, or bumps on the skin
- Cook them until soft or to your preferred doneness; depending on how ripe they are, this could take as little as 10 minutes
- Don’t overcook them, as they can become mushy. They’ll still taste good, but they’ll lose their shape
- Thicken the syrup separately to avoid overcooking the figs while still getting that perfect consistency
- Let the preserves cool completely before refrigerating, or can them immediately if you plan to store them long-term