Syrup of figs but not as you know it

Fig leaf syrup

I HAVE a little fig tree and nothing does it bear, except for small hard green figs which refuse to ripen, even in a brown paper bag in company with a banana.

Still, I’m hopeful.

On my foraging walks in the neighbourhood fig trees spill over one garden wall and this time of the year green unripe figs litter the pavement.

Surely, I thought, there must be a use for them. And Google told me there is. Two in fact.

The first is delightfully easy and makes a pleasant syrup. The second is terribly messy and complicated and makes a preserve I’m still not sure was worth the effort.

So let’s leave that for another day because I haven’t got the recipe right and concentrate on the syrup.

It’s extremely simple. You just need three or four shiny fig leaves which are washed and put in a pan with 500mls of water and 375g of sugar, granulated or caster.

Bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar, simmer for a few minutes then take the pan off the stove and leave to steep for an hour. Then remove the leaves and bottle. The syrup has a pretty yellowy tinge.

It does not, however, taste of figs. Instead there’s a curious coconut flavour with a hint of vanilla although I did not register the nuttiness mentioned by the writer of the http://www.emilyfabulous.com website from which I nicked the recipe.

Choose bright, shiny leaves

You can use the syrup for all manner of pirposes. Mine currently goes on breakfast yoghurt and to flavour my kombucha.

Fig leaves might be a little hard to find in the UK now – my plant has dropped its leaves – but it’s worth knowing you can freeze them for year long supplies or buy them dried.

Considering the syrup commercially can cost up to ten quid a bottle it’s well worth having this recipe up your sleeve.

Simmer then steep the leaves