From jams to energy bars, Malaga crafts a range of delicious products made from figs

You have to wait until September to savour the best figs of the season. They are usually easy to find in greengrocers and fresh produce markets, although they are not always from the province of Malaga. In this month the black fig takes over from the one known as the queen fig (also called the golden fig) in this part of Andalucía. One of the areas that produces most of this succulent fruit is the Guadalhorce valley. Note that, beyond enjoying the seasonal eating of this fruit, there are many other options for tasting it in different preparations throughout the rest of the year. However, they are rarely made with fruit harvested in Malaga.

It is one of those dehydrated fruits most sought after by those who make the effort to find it. Many sportsmen and women turn to dates, sultanas, but also to dried figs, which nowadays in Malaga are produced in the traditional way by La Borgeña, the company better known of course for its sultanas made from muscat grapes. Dried figs are just one part of their wide repertoire. Their dried figs are available in bags of 200 grammes to one kilo. They even come in boxes of 5 kilos. Another option is to buy organic dried figs in 400g packs. Another company, La Higuera, based in Estepona, packs them in glass jars. Meanwhile, in Cómpeta, Campo de Benamayor is the company that offers them with pressed almonds and also in a wide variety of formats with just the dried fruit.

It is one of the best options for enjoying the natural sweetness of figs, with the advantage that in most cases sugar does not have to be added. However, it is not easy to find companies that make jams with figs from Malaga province. One of the exceptions is La Higuera, the manufacturing company from Estepona that owes its very name (The Fig Tree) to the different products it makes with this dried fruit. In fact, it currently has several options in the product range, depending on the variety of fig. You could choose the black or florancha (purple, almost black skin with purple flesh) or the verdal (light green peel with red fruit inside). There is also another option with no added sugar. Other companies that make fig jams are La Borgeña and La Molienda Verde, the latter in the village of Benalauría in the Serranía de Ronda.

The most famous is undoubtedly the fig bread, which has traditionally been made in many homes in Malaga, especially in the Axarquía region. Today there are few companies left that make it in the traditional way. Among those that can be found are La Higuera from Estepona, which makes it with artisan honey. La Borgeña also offers it in its product range as a 'rulo de higo seco con sésamo' (dried-fig roll with sesame). Another more traditional option is offered by the company Campo de Benamayor under the brand name La Competeña.

There are also more sophisticated initiatives, such as that of the company mentioned in the photo. They make sweet treats with chocolate and other fruits or nuts (orange, coconut and almond). Another option is the range of snacks that could also fall into the category of energy bars, as this company from El Borge offers dried-fig products with mango, with blueberries or with almonds.

Another option that is more difficult to find nowadays is dried figs in anise, a very traditional treat that is clearly in decline, as is the case with the version made with sultanas. Today there are barely two or three companies left that still make them in Malaga province, Campo de Benamayor and La Higuera being two of them.

A very interesting possibility explored so far in Malaga only by Mermeladas La Higuera is that of a sweetener, which has stevia added. A very natural, healthy and low-calorie product.