Kumquat Marmalade

Kumquats are these little healthy oranges, a sweet and sour taste that produces an unusual, refreshing flavor. One of their defining characteristics is that they are winter fruits, containing lots of vitamin C, and they can be substituted for Seville or bigarade oranges in a pinch. They are popular during the Thanksgiving season, but not only. Sweet and tart, kumquats are simply delicious eaten straight from the tree when the branches are heavy and binding down. It feels like the tree is just calling you, saying: grab me and bite me! I had the privilege of picking these little orange bonbons from the trees at my friend’s in Ocean Beach. These citrus trees belong to the California landscape; it’s so beautiful. It makes your day, triggering your imagination about what to do with such an abundance of available treasures. Let’s make this succulent marmalade!

Kumquat Marmalade

Course: Preserves
Cuisine: French
Keyword: marmalade
Difficulty: easy
Prep Time: 55 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6 jars
Calories: 55kcal
Cost: $5
epic

Equipment

  • 6 8 oz/250ml jars
  • 1 Heavy bottom pot
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Wooden spatula
  • 1 Ladle
  • 1 Bowl
  • 1 Sieve
  • 1 Candy thermometer

Ingredients

  • 1500 g Kumquats
  • 2 each Orange zest
  • 2 each Lemon zest
  • 10 g Vanilla beans
  • 750 g Orange juice
  • 1100 g Sugar

Instructions

Preparing Fruits

  • Use organic fruits whenever possible. Wash the fruits thoroughly under warm water, then drain. Remove the stems, cut the kumquats into quarters, and remove the seeds. Zest the oranges and lemons, then squeeze the juice. Place the prepared kumquats in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the vanilla seeds along with the pods, the zests, and the juices. Give it a stir. Top the fruit mixture with the sugar, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Cooking Marmalade

  • To begin, bring the fruit mixture to a boil and cook over medium heat until it reaches 230°F/110°C. This process should take about 45 minutes, with occasional stirring. To test the marmalade's readiness, after around 40 minutes perform a simple set test: place a small bowl over ice water, drop a bit of liquid into it, and wait a few seconds. The marmalade should slightly gel and wrinkle when you push it with your finger. If it's not quite there yet, continue cooking until it reaches the desired consistency.

Canning

  • While the marmalade is cooking, it's a good time to prepare your jars for canning. Start by sterilizing the jars and lids in a 300ºF/150ºC oven for 20 minutes. Once sterilized, reduce the oven temperature to 200ºF/95ºC and keep the jars warm in the oven until the marmalade is ready to be canned.
    Remove the warm jars from the oven. Carefully ladle the hot marmalade into the jars, filling them to the top. Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp towel. Place the lids on the jars and screw on the rings. Flip the jars and allow them to cool for 12 hours at room temperature. Store the marmalade in a dark, cool place for months, or keep refrigerated. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 25g | Calories: 55kcal
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3 thoughts on “Kumquat Marmalade”

  1. 5 stars
    Best ever, I make it every year when kumquats come into season, 12 jars, and usually gone by this time next year. The vanilla adds a great flavor, wanting that next bite

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