Yes it’s true, Christmas is just around the corner. When my children were small we used to make almost all the pressies for friends and family. It was a way of getting the children involved in the spirit of Christmas and not so much into the stress around shopping and finding the ‘right’ present especially for those on a limited family budget. Every year we came up with something different. One year we made home-made paper and envelope sets, another year we made exquisite christmas tree decorations out of dough. Each one was baked, painted and polyurethaned and were little representations of each member of our extended family. Most years the children made shortbreads, gingerbreads and hand-made chocolates. Another year Christmas Stollens filled with home-made marzipan and beautifully presented, made wonderful family gifts. Figs in port, the recipe I’m sharing today was made as a gift on more than one occasion. I always made sure that I kept a jar or two in my own pantry. It makes for a very delicious and rather decadent topping for vanilla ice-cream. One or two figs and some of the syrup drizzled over top and presto a desert to impress! For more details read the full post
Ingredients;
250gms dried figs
1 cup port
1 cup orange juice, plus zest of 1 orange and one lemon
1 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick,
10 cardamon pods,
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
Method;
Freshly squeeze orange juice.
Put the orange juice, the orange and lemon zest, the brown sugar, dried figs, cinnamon powder and cardamon pods into a medium-sized saucepan. Break the cinnamon stick into smaller pieces and add to the pan.
Gently bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the liquid becomes thick and forms a syrup.
Now add the port and continue simmering for about 15- 20 minutes until the liquid is again reduced to a syrup.
Store in clean jars. You can top up the jars with extra port if you wish and seal when cool. If you can, leave them for a few months before consuming to allow the flavours to mature.? Enjoy!
These pictured here served with ice cream were made with our own fresh figs. I simmered for longer than above and added extra port and sugar.