Let’s make kumquat marmalade together, Chinese mandarins, small sweet and fragrant miniature citrus fruits with an exotic name, which we call Chinese mandarins.
This small fruit contains an intense, deep and pronounced aroma, despite their tiny shape. And at this point I must say that the saying “good things come in small packages” really applies. But if you want to discover what’s in the big barrel, try also the exquisite pumpkin and apple marmalade, scented with cinnamon and ginger.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 jars
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs kumquats
- 5 cups sugar
- 2 lemons (whole)
- 3 tbsp food-grade pure alcohol (or brandy or another alcoholic spirit)
Preparation
1 – Wash the Chinese mandarins and cut them in half removing the seeds. Wash and cut the lemons in half, removing their seeds as well.
2 – Weigh the mandarins and lemons to a total of about 2.2 lbs (approximately 1 kilogram) and puree the citrus for 20 seconds. If you have a Thermomix (Bimby) blend for 20 seconds at speed 5.
3 – Add the sugar and cook for about 1 hour in a large pot. If you have a Thermomix cook at 212°F / speed 1-2 / for 60 minutes.
4 – While the marmalade is cooking sterilize the jars by placing them in a pot of water and boiling them for 15 minutes. Remove the jars with tongs, let them drain and when dry wipe them with a sheet of paper soaked in food-grade alcohol. Do the same with the lids.
5 – At the end of cooking turn off the heat and add the amount of food-grade alcohol called for in the recipe, stir well and let it evaporate for a few minutes.
6 – Pour the still-hot marmalade into the jars stopping a few millimeters from the rim of the jar (the less space left for air, the better they keep). Finally close with the lid.
7 – Turn the jars upside down on a flat surface and leave them inverted until the marmalade cools slightly (this operation will create a vacuum and you’ll notice it by the central part of the lid pulling inward).
8 – Label the jar with the name and date and store your kumquat marmalade in the pantry, wonderfully fragrant and delicious for any occasion.
