We’ve been very lucky this year. Our kumquat trees have produced a bumper crop. Yesterday, the girls brought me a huge bucket filled with beautiful kumquats. When I tasted them, I found them a bit sour, so I decided to make a nice batch of marmalade.
As a child, I ate a ton of marmalade on my vacations to Great Britain, but I have to say the best marmalade I’ve had is made by husband’s friend Laura. She adds a dash of vanilla extract to her marmalade which I think really brightens and accents the citrus flavor. She also makes great homemade vinegar.
1. Info for Homemade Kumquat Marmalade
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 8
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Homemade Kumquat Marmalade
- 2 lbs kumquat
- 2 small limes
- 8 1/2 cups sugar
- 6 cups water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 8 1/2-pint Mason jars
3. Directions:
- Squeeze the limes. Gather the juice and pulp.
- Wash the kumquats and thinly slice them using a sharp chef knife. Discard all the seeds and the white center membrane.
- Place the sliced kumquats, lime, water and sugar in a pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a medium low and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. The content should be syrupy. Cover, set aside and let it sit overnight (at least 18 hours) at room temperature.
- The following day, bring the kumquat syrup to a boil, then reduce a simmer for one hour. Stir every now and then using a wooden spoon. Bring back a boil. Skim any foam that develops on the top before pouring into the Mason jars. Add the vanilla extract.
- Fill a big pot of water and bring to just under a boil. Place the Mason jars, lid, heat-proof funnel and tongs in the pot and let it boil for 10 minutes. Be sure to read the instructions that come with your Mason jars. They’ll give you exact time and techniques.
- Remove the jars from the water and fill with kumquat marmalade leaving about a 1/4-inch head space or whatever your canning directions say. Carefully place the lid on the jar. Tighten the collar around each jar. Bring your big pot of water to a boil and place all the sealed jars in it for 10 minutes.
- Remove the jars from the water. If the top of the lid still pops, the vacuum didn’t form and you’ll need to consume the product in the next couple of weeks, storing it in the refrigerator. Otherwise you can store it in your pantry for up to a year.
- Enjoy!
- This is a tartine (toast in French) made out of brioche that I slightly toasted and spread with butter and kumquat marmalade.
