Molasses is produced as a byproduct of sugar cane and sugar beet processing. The can juice is extracted and boiled down into a thick syrup where sugar crystals are later extracted. Once the crystals are extracted the remaining thick syrup is molasses. Light molasses comes from the 1st boiling and the darker, thicker molasses is produced after the 2nd boiling. Sulphured vs Unsulphured Sometimes sulphur is used in the sugar cane processing and if so the resulting molasses will be called "sulphured molasses". If no sulphur is used then the molasses will be "unsulphured".
Figs are cooked down until they are reduced to about half. Then the fruit is separated from the syrup leaving a thick, fruity molasses. This molasses can be used in baking or to simply drizzle over a fresh fruit salad. You can use it as a substitute for honey.