A traditional Cajamarca dessert of whole figs steeped in a rich chancaca syrup. The fruit turns tender and glossy while keeping its shape, and the syrup develops a deep sugarcane character. Simple, old-fashioned, and deeply satisfying, it is proof that three ingredients can be enough.
Wash the figs well, trim just the stem, and make a shallow crosswise cut at one end without splitting the fruit open. Cover them with about two-thirds of the warm water and leave them for 20 minutes, until they begin to release their milky sap; then drain and rinse them gently so they stay intact.
Place the chancaca in the pot with the remaining water and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until fully dissolved into a dark, even syrup. Add the figs, cover, and reduce to low heat; cook for 35 to 40 minutes, gently swirling the pot from time to time instead of stirring, until the figs are tender and glossy and the syrup coats a spoon in a thin layer that drips slowly.
Turn off the heat and let the preserve lose its intense heat before transferring the figs and their syrup to a clean
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