Kumquat Jam
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Kumquat Jam is made with sliced kumquats, sugar, and water for a delicious sweet and tart jam that’s great on muffins, breads, or as a cake filling.
Up until a few weeks ago I’ve never had a kumquat and didn’t know much about them. They look like little oranges and are part of the citrus family.
In Chinese, kumquat means “golden orange.” Kumquats are different from other citrus fruit in that you can eat the entire thing peel and all. The peel of the kumquat is sweet while the inside is tart.
I think kumquats work well in desserts because that are the perfect tart contrast to sweets. In recent weeks I’ve made an Icebox Kumquat Pie and used kumquats in a cocktail. I had one pack of them left and decided to use them to make jam.
This recipe is pretty easy. It’s just kumquats, sugar, and water. I did add in a split vanilla bean because I had one and I thought it would add another dimension to the jam. I also added in a few tablespoons of pectin to help stabilize the jam.
Ingredients:
- kumquats
- sugar
- water
- vanilla bean (optional)
- pectin
To make the jam slice the kumquats into thin slices and remove the seeds. Place the kumquats in a large pot along with the water and let them soak for an hour. This will help to activate the natural pectin in the kumquats.
Then bring the kumquats and water to a boil for 20 minutes. Add in the sugar and vanilla bean and boil for an additional 20 minutes or until the mixture is thick.
Finally, add in the pectin, bring to a hard boil and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool 30 minutes.
At this point you can chose to leave it super chunky or process it so that it’s mostly smooth but still has pieces of kumquats in it. I chose to pulse it in a food processor several times so that it was smoother but still had pieces of the kumquats in it.
What is a kumquat?
A kumquat is a small, edible, orange like fruit. It is a citrus fruit that looks like a miniature orange and is about the size of an olive. It is native to Southeast Asia. You can eat the peel of this fruit. The inside is tart and sour while the peel is the sweetest part.
Am I able to can or preserve this jam?
Yes! Simply place it in jars with 1/2 inch headspace, put on the lid, and process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes.
I don’t have enough kumquats, can I still make this jam?
Sure! If you don’t have quite enough kumquats you can peel and finely chop an orange and throw it in there as well.
Can I add in some spices to this recipe?
You sure can. Adding in up to 1 tablespoon of dried spices will preserve the recipe. I would recommend a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger or a half teaspoon of nutmeg.
I loved the color and the flavor of this jam. It was sweet but tart which is great for putting on breads and muffins. The color is a bright, gorgeous orange. It would be great on a brunch buffet table.
Recipes to Pair with Kumquat Jam:
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Kumquat Jam
Ingredients
- 1 c. kumquats thinly sliced
- 2 c. water
- 2 c. sugar
- 1 vanilla bean split (optional)
- 3 Tablespoons pectin
Instructions
- Place the kumquats and water in a large saucepan. Allow to sit for 1 hour.
- Heat the kumquats and water over medium high heat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add in the sugar and vanilla bean and mix well. Bring up to medium heat and boil for 20 minutes.
- Add in the pectin and increase heat to high. Stir constantly while at a hard boil for 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool for 20 minutes.
- At this point either pour into two half pint jars and cool completely or place in a food processor and pulse until the kumquats are in big pieces then put into jars.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 month.
Notes
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