Kumquat Marmalade - Moroccan Style

Directions

1. First, we are going to prepare the kumquats. Wash and rinse the kumquats. Cut the green tip and slice the kumquat lengthwise then quarter it. Cut and discard the white membrane in the center and remove the seeds. Thinly slice the Kumquats.
   Kumquat seeds contain pectin, which can be removed by boiling for use in making jams and jellies. Personally, I don’t use the seeds and my jam still comes out fine – so no worries. 

2. Weigh the kumquats once you prepare them, here my kumquats are 271 ounces. You will need exactly the same weight of sugar or you can reduce it if you prefer your marmalade to be less sweet.

   Mix the sugar and the kumquats together.

3. Squeeze fresh orange juice – for this amount of kumquats we will need ½ a cup. Add the orange juice to the kumquats.

   I am going to flavor my marmalade with star anise – but feel free to use a cinnamon stick, cardamom seeds, or cloves.

   Mix well, cover your bowl, and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours. I prefer to prepare the ingredients the night before so I can cook the marmalade the next morning.

4. Before we cook our marmalade, I am going to show your how sterilize your jars. Preheat your oven to 350 F degree. Wash your jars with hot water and soap, then rinse them with clear water. Place the jars, still wet, on a baking pan, and let them dry on the oven for 15 minutes.

5. After 12 hours, our kumquats are ready for the next step. You will notice that the kumquat skin has softened. Place all the ingredients in a pan and cook, uncovered, on medium-high heat.

   Once the kumquat mixture starts foaming and boiling, reduce the heat to medium and use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture from time to time. We will keep cooking the kumquat mixture until the liquid evaporates and becomes syrupy. This will take around 25 minutes of cooking for this amount of kumquats.

6. I am going to show you a trick to see if your marmalade is ready. Place a small plate in the freezer an hour before your start cooking the marmalade, then while cooking, put a small amount of the sauce in the plate then place it back in the freezer for another minute. If it’s still runny, then the marmalade is not ready and you should continue cooking it. However, if it becomes gluey and thick, then your marmalade is ready!

   See here… my marmalade is ready!

7. As a last step I like to add 1 tablespoon of orange blossom water to bring a Moroccan flavor to my marmalade.

8. Fill your jars with the marmalade – make sure that both the jars and the marmalade are hot when filling them.

   Let the marmalade rest on your kitchen counter until it cools down, then place it in the fridge. You can store it for up to 2 months.

   As you can see when the marmalade cools down it becomes thick with a jelly like texture.

   Enjoy on a toast, with crackers, or just with a spoon! Bonne Appetit!