Bitter kumquat marmalade
Ingredients
- 1 kg kumquat {chinese oranges, narangis}
- 1 kg granulated sugar
- 250 ml Water
Instructions
- Sterilize 5 X 250g jam jars. Place a metal spoon in each jar {this ensures that the glass jar will not crack when the hot jam is poured in}.
Stove Top method
- Halve the kumquat. Place the sieving bowl over a bigger bowl, and squeeze the seeds to deseed the fruit. We need to collect the seeds as they contain the pectin to set the jam. Make a bouquet garnet of the seeds.
- Snip the peels with scissors into strips. {I got lazy and gave them a quick spin in the Thermomix}.
- Place the cut peels, with the pouch of seeds and any collected kumquat juice, in a heavy bottom pan on full heat. Boil for a few minutes till the peel is tender, stirring constantly.
- Add the water and continue to cook on high for 2-3 minutes. Now add sugar, stirring constantly.
- Continue to cook over high heat for a further 20-25 minutes until the mixture thickens & the strips becomes translucent. Stir often else it'll catch the bottom. Don't leave unattended.
- Do a plate test by dropping some marmalade on a cold metal plate to check if the jam is setting properly. After 30 seconds, it should congeal and look jellylike.
- Put off the flame, discard the muslin pouch with the seeds and allow the jam to cool for 10-15 minutes. Stir to distribute the strips.
- Now pour the marmalade into the jars, and seal after 10-15 minutes. {I refrigerate my jars}
Thermomix method
- Place the peels in the TM bowl and slice at speed 10 for 2-3 seconds. Add the reserved juice to the TM bowl, with 250g water, and run on Reverse at 100 for 10 minutes, speed slow.
- Add 800g sugar and the bouquet garni {which holds the seeds}, and run at reverse at speed 2 for 2 minutes. Add a further 450g sugar {small calamondins tend to be very bitter}, and continue to cook at reverse speed 2 for a further 8 minutes.
- Now turn power to 100C, place the lid at an angle, and cook until the gelling action kicks in and the jam begins to set. {Do a stainless steel plate test. Drop some marmalade on a cold plate to see if it sets in under a minute}. Mine took about 7-8 minutes.
- Put off the TM, discard the muslin pouch with the seeds and allow to stand in TM jar for about 15-20 minutes, and then pour into prepared jars. I refrigerate my marmalade.
