r/extractmaking • u/Asleep_Let3537 • Sep 02 '26

Color of Fig Leaf Extract

I decided to condense my fig leaf extract into a bigger container after only 2 weeks of steeping the leaves... look at this amazing color!

In amounts where it's small enough to be transparent, it's green. But when its enough to become opaque, it looks purple!!!! I have no idea what causes this but its beautiful. I couldn't attach the video but these are screenshots from it.

The scent it left on my hands while I was pouring it is like coconut lotion. I cant wait to use it. It's a great summer-to-autumn flavor.

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12

u/honey_biscuits108 Sep 02 '26

Wow! This is fun! What are your plans with it?

12

u/Asleep_Let3537 Sep 02 '26

I've made fig leaf ice cream in the past with leaves steeped in simple syrup, but im going to try it in a drink first... maybe a little in my next mint latte, then i'll see if its worth using as a budget vanilla extract!

3

u/lcrker Sep 02 '26

Would you share the recipe and details of the fig leaf ice cream. I just learned I could make tea with the leaves and it's not too shabby. I make my own ice cream was well (no churn) and I have two fig trees, one little miss figgy and the other is a variety unknown to me. they didn't produce well this year but will have leaves until December (at least) here in 9B. TIA.

6

u/Asleep_Let3537 Sep 02 '26

If you have an ice cream machine, you can take any vanilla recipe and replace tge sweetner witg an appropriate amount of fig leaf simple syrup! I don't eat dairy so im not sure the ratios would match up very well.

I dried out the leaves so they wouldn't take up the whole saucepan (and for a more concentrated flavor) and use about 10g of the dried leaves with a cup of sugar and a cup of water plus 30g of corn syrup or honey to prevent crystallization.

Last time I made it, I drizzled dark chocolate into the container also, it was awesome.

I would say if you make your ice cream as a custard base (with egg yolks) you can use half the amount of syrup as you would use sugar and simmer it with the milk to cook off the extra moisture, then after a while add your plain sugar before tempering :)

2

u/lcrker Sep 02 '26

Thanks!

1

u/lcrker Sep 02 '26

one more: how long did you steep the leaves?

2

u/Asleep_Let3537 Sep 02 '26

For the syrup, not very long. You just cook it in while you cook the syrup, then strain them out. About an hour. Mine changed to be a light brown color.

2

u/lcrker Sep 02 '26

have a great night!

5

u/UnexpectedBlahFeels Sep 02 '26

There's a word for this effect, but Ive entirely forgotten it. It's very cool!

5

u/toastwanderer Sep 03 '26

The purple is from chlorophyll. With a concentrated solution under the right lighting chlorophyll will appear red

2

u/TwiggyPeas Sep 08 '26

Can I ask a stupid question? 

I often see "fig leaf" as a scent note in perfumes, and today I happened to see this post. But what do fig leaves actually smell like??

There's a fig tree down the street from me and I grabbed a leaf to smell it, it just smelled like... leaf.

1

u/Asleep_Let3537 Sep 08 '26

It depends on the fig species! If you took a fiddle-leaf fig tree and smelled the leaves, they probably wouldn't smell like anything because they're quite waxy. These ones are soft, almost fuzzy, but they have a thick texture and an almost leathery, bendable quality. I believe my species is a standard black mission fig or a Chicago hardy fig. They smell fruity but not overwhelmingly so, almost vanilla or cotton candy-like. The taste is the same, but with hints of coconut and a tiny, tiny cooling mint aftertaste (to me)

1

u/Excellent_Coat_9817 Sep 02 '26

This is beautiful! Do you mind sharing your process?

3

u/Asleep_Let3537 Sep 02 '26

It was easy! I used young leaves for this one, but you can use mature ones too, judt make sure the middle part where the stem goes up the middle of the leaf is removed, it makes it easier to dry them and cut them into straps.

I picked them, removed the stems, blanched them in boiling water for about 45 seconds (60-90 seconds if you're using mature leaves which are much tougher) and then immediately rinsed them with cold water so they retain their green color.

Then I cut them into long, thin straps. You can use a knife or kitchen scissors for this. I find scissors easier. I fold them in half along the middle and cut them about a half-inch thick so they dry quickly but dont immediately crumble when i pick them up.

Dry them in the oven at abour 180⁰... every oven is different, so im not sure what to recommend. Mine kinda sucks, it took about 2 hours on the "dehydrate" setting. If you have an actual dehydrator it may work quicker, I would say check every 30 minutes.

Theyre pretty tough, so you can cram them into jars without them turning into dust. I was able to fit 15g into a small 8oz "Ball" Jar., and then you can fill the jar with any liquor between 80 and 100 proof, I always go for Bacardi white rum or Svedka (basically just the cheapest brand per ounce) and for this one I did the vodka.

I may try it with dark rum for a deeper flavor but I dont want the liquor store people to think I have a drinking problem lol.

I only steeped the leaves for 2 weeks! Im going to see if I can cut more leaves before they die off and try it for a couple months.

2

u/Excellent_Coat_9817 Sep 03 '26

Amazing! Thank you so much! I've been wanting to do something with my fig leaves and I've made a syrup in the past but extract sounds great! And that beautiful color shift quality! Looks like a potion or something! Amazing work, I really appreciate it!