Preparation for Mixed Mandarin and Kumquat Jam

• To prepare the mixed citrus jam, start with the Chinese mandarins, remove the leaves, wash them well, then put them in a pot covered with water and bring to a boil for about 3 minutes, drain and let cool. This process helps remove some of the tartness that these fruits release.

• In the meantime, as the kumquats cool, peel the mandarins, remove the white skins, then divide them into 4 and remove all the seeds; once that is done, pour them into a pot. Take the kumquats, here the peel is not removed, cut them in half and remove the seeds here too, then pour into the pot with the mandarins.

• Peel an apple, cut it into small cubes, and add to the pot with the mixed mandarins; this helps thicken the jam because the apple contains a lot of pectin.
  Turn on the stove, add the sugar to the mandarins and the juice of one lemon, mix and cook the mixture on medium heat initially, lowering it at the end.
  Check and stir constantly during cooking to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pot; for this, I recommend a non-stick pot.

• Once the right consistency is reached after about 1 hour, the time still depends on how juicy the mandarins are; sometimes it takes longer, sometimes less; turn off the stove and use an immersion blender to blend the jam a bit to make it creamier, but not too much, at least I like to feel some big chunks of fruit too.

  

• Once ready, with the help of a ladle, pour the jam into the glass jars, which are already cleaned and sterilized, close the lids hermetically and sterilize in hot water for about 15/20 minutes for medium jars and 30 minutes for larger ones.
  You can also use a pressure cooker for sterilizing the jars, using less water.
  
  The final sterilization ensures greater product safety with longer storage compared to using the vacuum method with upside-down jars while still hot.
  Let the jars cool inside the pot; when they are cold, check the vacuum seal properly: you can press the center of the lid, and if you don’t hear the classic “click-clack,” the vacuum has occurred; otherwise, change the lid and redo the sterilization or store in the fridge and consume within 2 days.
  
  Dry, date, and store the product in a cool, dry place away from light and heat sources for about 6 months. It is recommended to wait at least 2-3 weeks before consuming the jam.
  
  The difference between jam and preserve depends on the type of fruit
  Jams are made with citrus fruits: oranges, mandarins, bergamot, citrons.
  Preserves instead with all other types of fruit: peaches, apples, apricots, strawberries, etc.
  
  Here are other recipes
  orange jam with Kenwood
  strawberry preserve
  cherry preserve
  apple and cinnamon preserve
  pear and chocolate preserve
  mixed grape preserve
  green fig preserve
   quince preserve

• TIPS:
  Once opened, consume within 10 days maximum and store the product in the fridge. For this reason, it is recommended to use small jars to avoid prolonged opening.
  You can use the variety of clementines if you prefer a slightly sweeter taste; to make your mixed mandarin jam even more fragrant and flavorful, you can flavor with a cinnamon stick or the seeds of 1 vanilla pod during cooking!
  For cooking the mixed jam, you can also use the Bimby or Kenwood cooking chef.

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