Figs are being harvested here now too. Lots of recipes for preserves on the Louisiana Gardeners Facebook page. That 1/2 cup of bottled lemon juice in the above recipe would give me pause. I'd keep looking.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/271521942901159/search/?q=fig%20preserves%20recipe

From the LSU Ag Center:

https://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR/rdonlyres/69DF3014-F313-4784-AFEB-EAAC4125406E/61880/pub3018LouisianaFigsLOWRES.pdf?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2mmrGU3pg8V9c7utRzA9QR47m5AIy-J5Zw5Q-oiv9raiMAJnN_SiguARU_aem_eo93xpty-4zsMj2aEGWtsg

I'm a w coaster too but coastal, cool and ours aren't ripe yet. I wonder if you aren't between seasons there, too late for the early variety but from what I'm reading early by a month or better for turkey and kadota types NE. It may be a matter of taste but I could see the peaches or nectarines pairing well with possibly chicken (?) but for sharp cheeses and smoked meats the figs almost an expected requirement. But guessing, I haven't tried subbing.

Do you have a Whole Foods anywhere close, that store or one similar should have them later in the season. You might try a farmers market setting later too.

Figs are more like dates than stone fruit, though maybe apricots? I'm trying to think of a fresh fruit texturally like a fresh fig, but no luck.

It's not jam, of course, but maybe they'd like making fig pie with the too many figs? I like it with a whole wheat crust. I use these recipes as written, with freshly milled hard red wheat for the crust. It's one of my favorite pies. The unrefined sugar in this is important. Both good for a 9” Pyrex pie plate. Freezes well.

https://www.deliciousliving.com/recipe/fig-pie/

https://andreasrecipes.com/whole-wheat-pie-dough/

Here are some figs from my trees in Venice - I had two fig trees:

This is what I would pick in one day in late July or early August. This variety is called Texas Red, and my brother in Texas sent me two trees from Texas, which is why I ended up with two of them. I ended up giving a lot of cuttings to friends, as they are easy to propagate. These are also the sweetest figs I've ever had, which is why I got them from my brother. Some of them tasted like honey, but all of them were extremely sweet.

I made a lot of fig preserves during fig season, and I added Meyer lemons and Valencia oranges from my yard to the preserves. It is not typical to add oranges, but I had lots of them, and I liked the flavor that they added. Sometimes I only added lemon juice. I did add some sugar but I did not add pectin because I did not know about it.

I thought of dates as a possible substitute for figs, since they are equally sweet, but they do have a tough skin, unlike figs.

Another thing you can make with figs is Fig Newton, which I love, and I use whole wheat flour when making them.

Why do you want to substitute the figs? Fig jam is awesome, especially with some candied ginger added.

I assumed it was to do a cook along demonstration, though cleaning figs is a bit different as well. One way for your cousin to get rid of more figs would be to overnight them to you. ;)

Yes, I was going to do a cook along video, but can't find fresh figs in my neck of the woods! I did find a recipe for Cinnamon Pear Jam from BALL. It's not a 1:1 comparison, but close. It has the exact same instructions as the fig jam.

Boo! I'm happy to see you here.

I think the pear jam would be a good substitute lesson but if you are really looking for figs I found some in the ethnic markets in Grand Rapids, but it's the only place I've ever found fresh figs around here. Lars shared a jar of his fig jam with me and spoiled me forever, I love the stuff.

I make craftyrn's cuccidati cookies every Christmas but must resort to dried figs for that.

Happy Canning!

Annie

Fresh figs are a real rarity if you dont have your own tree. They dont travel well.

My aunt in Texas had a fig tree that produced lots and my mom use to can them up with sugar. If I had figs like taht I would just eat them as they are. They are a real treat if you dont have acesss to your own tree.

But, I guess if you are lucky to have lots of them, you have to find some way to use them or preserve them. Sugar is the best preservative for that.

This is the one I use. It is the most like the way we made them growing up. Of course my grandmother never had a recipe, she just made them. This is Chef John Besh, Fig Perserves.

https://nestfullofnew.com/fig-preserves/

Well, they must travel a little. We get several varieties in the stores in season. In clamshells, though, not thrown in a pile.

Perhaps you could both make a very small batch of jam using something you can both get easily. That would demonstrate techniques and vocabulary. Then they could make fig jam by themselves with you on call as they go. For beginners it might be a good idea for them to get a jam thermometer and also a big enough pan so the jam can really roll. I notice the recipe you found has no temperature indication. A sugar thermometer is marked up to show when it's hot enough for jam.

I was brought up short by the 6 cups of sugar to 4 cups of fruit!

Well, by that time the figs are candied. I would just enjoy them as fresh fruit. But, of course, if you have tons of them, you have to find something to do with them. My mom did quart jars of figs in sugar syrup, but honestly, it probalby took us up to a year to go through one jar. It may preserve the fruit, but the amount of sugar needed is a lot. Still they will provide energy if you are in dire straits. But not much real nutrition.

Fresh figs like this are a rarity unless you have a tree. They are very fragile. I have seen them a few times in some markets, but very rarely.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I did make the cinnamon pear jam. It smells amazing! I haven't tasted it yet. I think it'll be perfect for fall treats. The DH did find fresh figs at Costco. So, I'll be "playing" with those soon.

I did make the fig jam last night. Hopefully video and audio worked. I haven't edited it yet. I'm certainly not a natural at making videos!