Fig Syrup
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| dried figs, stems removed, chopped | 50 g |
| water | 150 ml |
| white sugar | 100 g |
Equipment: small saucepan with lid, fine sieve and cloth, kitchen scale and measuring jug, clean glass bottle with lid.
About this syrup
Estahban, in the hills of Fars, is Iran’s fig country. Its rain-fed orchards cover the slopes, watered only by winter rain, and every late summer the figs are left to dry in the sun until they become the small, honey-sweet dried figs sold in bazaars across Iran. Dried figs are eaten with walnuts, tucked into the ajil (nut mix) of winter nights and offered with tea.
This syrup draws out that deep, jammy, honey-like sweetness. It gives drinks a rounded fruit body that sits beautifully with tart pomegranate and lime.
How to make it
- Snip off the hard fig stems and chop the figs roughly.
- Simmer the figs and water gently, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Take off the heat and steep, covered, for another 10 minutes.
- Strain through fine cloth, pressing gently. Don’t force the pulp through.
- Measure 100 ml of liquid, topping up with water if needed.
- Add 100 g sugar and warm gently, stirring, until dissolved.
- Cool, bottle, label with the date and fig type, and refrigerate.
Yield and storage
- Makes about 165 ml.
- Keep refrigerated and use within 1–2 weeks (provisional).
- Some haze is normal.
Tips and troubleshooting
- Weak flavor: use figs that are soft and fragrant, not rock-hard; or use 60 g figs.
- Too thick or cloudy: you pressed too hard. Strain again through clean cloth.
- Leftover figs: chop them into yogurt or oatmeal; they’re delicious.
Different concepts of this syrup
1. Dried fig syrup
The recipe above. The house standard.
2. Fresh fig syrup, late summer
Simmer 200 g quartered ripe fresh figs with 100 ml water for 10 minutes, strain, and sweeten 1:1. Lighter, fruitier, pinker.
3. Fig and cardamom
Simmer 2 crushed cardamom pods with the figs. Warm and aromatic.
4. Fig and black tea
Steep 2 g black tea in the hot extract for 3 minutes. Tannic and comforting, good with brandy.
5. Fig and walnut
Toast 15 g walnuts, simmer them with the figs, and strain well. The classic Persian fig-and-walnut pairing. Contains tree nuts.
6. Beyond cocktails
- Drizzle over feta or labneh, or vanilla ice cream.
- Stir into hot black tea in winter.
Allergen note
No common allergens in the base recipe. Some dried figs contain sulfites; the walnut variation contains tree nuts.
Development notes
- Status: draft recipe, not yet taste-tested.
- Standardize fig type, extraction yield and flavor intensity.