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    Home » Recipes » Dressings, Sauces & Spreads » Lacto-fermented fig, cinnamon + honey butter

    Lacto-fermented fig, cinnamon + honey butter

    April 23, 2020 by Gabby 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Fermented fig cinnamon and honey butter pinterest

    As with all delicious recipes, this lacto-fermented fig butter was the result of seasonal excess. Shopping with the seasons has so many benefits, with two of the most prominent being:

    1. Food is much cheaper when in season so saves you bucket loads
    2. Many of the foods each season arrive just in time to provide us with the nutrients we need to stay well at that particular time of year.

    Figs are a great example. They are one of the richest sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, also showing great variety. This is needed during Autumn and Winter, as we look to increase our nutrient intake to help keep us well. Additionally, they’re an excellent source of insoluble fibre, which is wonderful for the gut. Increased fibre means a very nourished and diverse gut microbiome. That in turn means a healthy immune system given ~70%+ of it lies within the gut.

    Lacto-fermented fig butter

    Historically, figs have been used medicinally to:

    • Soothe a dry, inflamed sore throat
    • Treat tonsillitis
    • Aid shortness of breath
    • Help you cough up any chest nasties – what we call, an expectorant (1)

    Given the volume of fibre they contain they’re also excellent for constipation!

    And if all that wasn’t enough, the fermentation process here also introduces beneficial strains of bacteria to the gut. So many reasons to love this, wouldn’t you say? This aside, fermentation of fruits and vegetables is the simplest and often the safest way of preserving food.

    Please do keep in mind that figs, and fruit in general, will make very active ferments. This is because they’re higher in sugar than vegetables. It’s important that you don’t fill your jar to the rim before it sits out overnight to ferment. If you do, you will likely find it has puffed up and out of the jar all over your table! Do make sure you set the jar on a plate to keep your kitchen bench or dining table safe from spills.

    What’s the best way to use this Lacto-fermented fig spread?

    This is a deliciously tart spread that is great for toast, to match with cheese or to have on top of yoghurt. My absolute favourite way to enjoy it is as a topping for my sourdough pancakes. Be sure to give them a go.

    Lacto-fermented fig and cinnamon butter

    Lacto-fermented fig, cinnamon + honey butter

    Perfect on toast or yoghurt, and also great to pair with cheese.
    Print
    Pin Rate
    Course: Spreads
    Cuisine: Fermented Foods
    Keyword: Fermentation, Fermented
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Fermentation time: 2 days
    Total Time: 2 days 10 minutes
    Servings: 1 cups
    Calories: 881kcal

    Equipment

    • 500ml glass jar with lid
    • Blender

    Ingredients

    • 4 cups fresh figs (see notes below before starting the recipe)
    • 150 ml fruit kvass (or either whey or water kefir)
    • 4 Tbsp* raw honey
    • ¼ to ½ tsp cinnamon (I love cinnamon so used ½)

    Instructions

    • Wash the figs, remove the stems, cut into quarters and place into a blender
    • Add 120ml of the fruit kvass into the blender, then blend on high until the figs are smooth and very well blended
    • Transfer to a large jar leaving plenty of headspace. I would suggest leaving at least the top 1/4 free. This allows for expansion as the fig puree ferments
    • Add the extra 30ml of fruit kvass on top to cover the puree, put the lid on the jar and sit it on a plate then leave to ferment at room temperature for 1-2 days. Taste it after the first 24 hours and see what you think. If you'd like it a little more sour leave it another 12-24 hours
    • Once ready, transfer the fermented fig puree into a blender, add in the honey and cinnamon and blend until smooth (just a few seconds)
    • Put the fermented fig, cinnamon and honey butter into a clean jar, clean the rim and put the lid on. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 months (or more!).

    Notes

    • The number of figs used is really going to depend on fig size. 4 cups for me was roughly 20 figs. I cut them into quarters before measuring so I could fit a little more into the cup.
    • * I use an Australian Tbsp, which is 20ml

    Nutrition

    Serving: 20g | Calories: 881kcal | Carbohydrates: 231g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 2196mg | Fiber: 28g | Sugar: 202g | Vitamin A: 1344IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 331mg | Iron: 4mg

    Keen to try some other fermented foods and drinks? Take a look at my garlic miso and Jun tea recipes!

    « Garlic miso – Fermenting made easy
    Beetroot and goats cheese risotto »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Biana

      May 01, 2020 at 11:24 am

      5 stars
      This honey butter sounds so delicious to serve with cheese and some fruit! Yum!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 01, 2020 at 11:44 am

        Thanks, Biana! It goes so well with cheese, that’s probably my favourite thing to pair it with.

        Reply
    2. Phenie

      May 01, 2020 at 11:42 am

      5 stars
      So tasty! I love the combination of flavours.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 01, 2020 at 11:43 am

        Thanks, Phenie!

        Reply
    3. Peter

      May 01, 2020 at 11:58 am

      5 stars
      Wow. This looks sooo good. Perfect for toast. Thanks for giving a substitute for the kvass – i know what it is, but never would’ve known where to find it.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 01, 2020 at 12:04 pm

        It’s great on toast with goat’s cheese Peter! And yes, plenty of substitutes for the kvass should you not have that on hand.

        Reply
    4. Rhonda

      May 01, 2020 at 12:22 pm

      5 stars
      Not only does this look super tasty, I had no idea that figs had so many healing properties. We planted a fig tree years ago, so we get a crop bigger than we can eat annually. Now I know what to do with them.

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 01, 2020 at 12:24 pm

        I have a fig tree on my balcony too! It’s one of the first things I planted because I love them so much. This recipe is perfect for an abundant crop.

        Reply
    5. Nikki

      May 01, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      I’m always trying to incorporate more fermented recipes. This sounds delicious and the health benefits are amazing!

      Reply
      • Gabby

        May 01, 2020 at 1:22 pm

        Thanks, Nikki! Having fermented foods daily is such a wonderful thing to do for your health.

        Reply

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    Hello!

    I'm Gabby (She/Her), a Sydney-based Naturopath with a thriving balcony garden. I love to preserve, cook and ferment and am passionate about teaching others how to do the same. Read more about me!

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