Fig Coffee Cake with Strawberry Fig Preserves

2½ cups flour

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter

1½ tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

Dash salt

2 eggs

¾ cup orange juice

1½ cup fig conserves

1 cup dry oats

½ cup brown sugar

Combine flour, white sugar and butter with pastry cutter until mixture is crumbly and fine; measure out one cup of mixture and combine with dry oats and brown sugar.  Place the brown sugar mixture in the bottom of a greased Bundt pan.

Add baking powder and salt to main ingredients and stir well.  In large measuring cup combine eggs and orange juice and mix well.  Add to flour mixture and stir just until ingredients are moistened. 

Pour a little less than half of the mixture over the brown sugar mixture in the Bundt pan.  Spoon fig conserve over batter and cover with remaining batter; bake 350º for 35-45 minutes … test with toothpick inserted into center.  Let cool on wire rack for about 5 minutes and then remove from pan, inverting onto serving platter.  Top with strawberry fig preserves and serve warm or cold.

Fig Sauce/Conserves

8 cups fresh figs, stemmed and chopped

½ cup homemade brew, or stout beer

2 cups brown sugar

2 Tbsp candied ginger, finely chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Combine all ingredients except pecan in preserving pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for 45 minutes or until mixture thickens.  Add pecans and cook another 5-10 minutes; spoon into sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.  Yield:  9 8oz jars

Strawberry Fig Preserves

10 cups figs, stemmed and chopped

5 cups sugar

1 cup white grape peach juice

9 oz strawberry jell-o gelatin

Combine all ingredients in preserving pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, but keep a rolling boil and cook for 45 minutes or so; spoon into sterilized jars and process in boiling water bath 10 minutes.  Yield: 14 8oz jars

© Crackerberries 2011