Kumquat Jam: 7 Recipes

A wonderful citrus fruit, which name translates as "the golden orange", grows in China, Japan, South Asia, and southern Europe. Most often the fruit is called kumquat, but the name "kinkan" or "fortunella" has also caught on. The latter name is more popular in the European part of the continent and was given after the English collector Robert Fortune. He brought the curious fruit from China in 1864. Its unusual taste, reminiscent of a tangerine with a slight sourness, original appearance and complete usability in food together with the skin gave the citrus recognition. Many have become true fans of the oriental delicacy, coming up with a lot of delicious recipes with its participation, including jam.

Features of the Golden Orange

The kumquat is considered to be native to the Asia-Pacific region. After the plant was brought to Europe, it successfully took root on the islands of Greece, in Transcaucasia. The fruit is grown commercially in many countries, including Japan, Taiwan, India, the Philippines, and Southeast Asia.

There are several species of fortunella, differing in the shape of the fruit. But outwardly the plants are very similar. They are evergreen shrubs or small trees that grow very slowly. The branches are thick, often equipped with thorns.

The flowering is similar to that of a mandarin. The fruits are small, oval, not larger than 2.5 cm. At first glance they look like oblong miniature oranges. That is where the resemblance ends. The kumquat's flavor is distributed as if it were the other way around. It has become customary that under the bitter skin there is a sweet pulp. The golden orange breaks stereotypes, as its peel is sweet and the mass inside is sour.

The plant produces huge harvests. Depending on the species, it yields from several hundred to 3,000 to 4,000 fruits a year.

Kumquats are eaten fresh and made into many delicacies, including marmalade, jam, and candied fruit. It is part of the recipe for some liqueurs. It makes a terrific jam.

Composition and calories

Like other citrus fruits, kumquats boast a high vitamin C content. Its composition includes almost the entire line of B group, omega-3, 6, 9 fatty acids, phytoncides, essential oils, pectin, enzymes, furocoumarin. Of minerals, phosphorus, potassium, iron, copper, calcium and zinc are the most abundant.

Fresh fruits are safely classified as dietary products, because the caloric value does not exceed 71 kcal. But it skyrockets when dried, dried and cooked with added sugar, approaching 285 kcal.

Useful properties of kumquats

The fruit has anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic and antibacterial properties. The flesh is used not only in its fresh form. In folk medicine, inhalations with kumquat skins are popular. Essential oils are used as an effective remedy for loss of strength, depression, emotional breakdowns and the effects of prolonged stress.

A few fruits a day can:

• strengthen the immune system;
• lower cholesterol;
• Start cleaning blood vessels from cholesterol plaques;
• relieve joint pain;
• Improve appearance by strengthening hair, nails, and start regeneration of skin cells;
• increase attention span;
• reduce emotional stress;
• To activate metabolic processes.

The high ascorbic acid content has made kumquat a natural sobering agent. A few fresh fruits eaten together with the skin, significantly reduce the time to get out of the hangover syndrome. Aromatic oil based on the golden orange helps not to catch a virus during the flu, improves skin condition and relieves chronic fatigue syndrome.

What is kumquat jam good for?

The delicacy is cooked for a very short time, undergoes little temperature treatment, except for thick jams and confitures. The bulk of the vitamins and the structure of trace elements is preserved. It is unfortunate that the B-group almost disintegrates, but otherwise many of the qualities of the fresh product remain unchanged.

The bactericidal properties are preserved, the emotional background is stabilized due to the essential oils, and a few spoons of exotic jam can significantly raise the mood and restore vivacity after a hard day's work. The mineral complex in the fruit activates brain activity, strengthens the immune system, improves memory quality.

Jam prolongs youth by providing the body with vitamin E, which is necessary for slowing the aging process, maintaining skin elasticity, the beauty of hair and nail plate health.

How to choose kumquats for jam

In order for the delicacy to turn out with a rich flavor and stored for a long time, you need to choose only ripe fruits. Bite them at the counter is unlikely to be allowed, so you have to be guided by flavor and appearance. The fruit must be:

• without external damage;
• No dark or light spots;
• No signs of mold or rot;
• They should be a deep yellow-orange color;
• yield slightly beneath the fingers when pressed.

Fruits that are too soft are already overripe; hard ones are picked green and underripe. The peculiarity of kumquats is that with artificial ripening the fruit almost loses its unique flavor, its taste becomes unexpressive. Therefore you should look for citrus in the juice itself. On this will indicate a bright characteristic smell with a note of freshness, without the slightest hint of wine spirit.

How to cook kumquat jam: recipes

If long bored with the usual strawberries and raspberries, bored with pear and apple desserts, then it's time to pay attention to the unusual treat of the golden orange. The ancients poetically called it the food of the wise and cooked it with honey. But it is perfectly replaceable with sugar, which is much cheaper and reduces the risk of allergic reactions. Citrus is a strong allergen as it is.

In cooking, fresh fruit is most often used, introducing it into salads or using it as a decoration of prepared dishes. When boiled, kumquat acquires a high calorie and unparalleled taste, but a few spoonfuls of the exquisite delicacy will not be fatal for the waistline. There are several recipes, each has its own flavor, and the dessert is very easy to prepare.

Classic

You will need 1 kg each of sugar and fruit, 0.5 liters of water. Kumquats are washed, dried with a towel and cut into rings. The seeds are removed, the pieces of fruit are dipped in boiling sugar syrup. They are boiled for 5 minutes with constant stirring, then the container with jam set aside for 12 hours.

Important: The foam during boiling is removed necessarily. It spoils the appearance of the finished product.

After the second boiling session, which lasts 15 minutes, the hot mass is immediately placed in jars. Check the degree of readiness with a drop of syrup on a plate. If it doesn't spill out and keeps its shape, then it's time to take the dessert off the stove.

Amber

Whole berries in clear syrup look original. In this case, the classic recipe adds orange juice. Sugar and citrus are taken in equal proportions, juice is squeezed from 2 large sweet oranges. It is introduced into the syrup instead of water, the sweet mass is boiled for 1-2 minutes, then the fruit is gently lowered there, pierced in several places with a wooden toothpick.

As a side note: metal objects in the process of cooking citrus is better not to use. Because of the oxidation processes, the delicacy may have an extraneous taste.

The first time the mixture is boiled for 15 minutes with constant stirring. Then it is allowed to stand for 24 hours and the process is repeated, boiling until it is ready. Usually 20 minutes on medium heat is enough. The finished jam pulls slightly from the spoon, and the syrup on the saucer does not spread out.

Lemon Mood

Jelly-like, refreshing and surprisingly beautiful in appearance treat will be a worthy addition to the festive tea party. To make it you will need sugar and kumquats in equal quantities. For the syrup choose 3 large lemons with thick skins. The citruses are cut in half, the pips are taken out and gently put on a piece of gauze. Juice is squeezed from the lemons. Kumquats are placed in a saucepan with a thickened bottom, pour sugar over the layers, pour lemon juice on top and leave for 3 hours. During the infusion gently stir the mass with a wooden spatula 2-3 times.

After the juice and sugar has half dissolved, put the pot on the stove for 30 minutes with minimal heat. You can not be distracted from stirring the mass, sugar quickly burns without attention. When boiling, it is important to skim off the foam. Without interrupting boiling, with a slotted skimmer you remove the fruit from the syrup, and put kumquat kernels wrapped in gauze into the pot. They act as a thickener, gelling the mass. It is boiled until it becomes thick. It takes about half an hour. Then the gauze is removed, citrus slices are returned to the pot, and after 10 minutes of cooking, the delicacy is spread in small shaped jars.

Vanilla Bouquet

The combination of vanilla, kumquat, and a dash of orange liqueur gives an original blend of flavors. It can be substituted for mint, which works just as well. To make it you need:

• 1 kg each of sugar and fruit;
• 1 bag of vanilla sugar;
• 150 ml of liqueur;
• 1 liter of water.

The process begins with a thorough rinsing of the citrus fruit. There is no need to peel them, the thin, fragrant skin only adds spice. It is completely edible.

The fruits are put in a pot and pour boiling water for 1 hour. Then cut them in half, remove pips, pour water and bring to boil. Then pour the water into a separate container, add sugar and boil until dissolved. Then pour the syrup into the fruit halves and boil for about 30 minutes. As soon as the syrup begins to stretch slightly, add vanilla and liqueur, and immediately turn off the stove. The delicacy is stirred and immediately placed in jars under airtight lids, before the mind-blowing aroma escapes.

It is worth considering: The jam will keep longer in jars sterilized dry.

Plum Mix

If the other recipes give a golden hue to the jam, then with the addition of plum, it will turn scarlet. The gorgeous citrus-plum treat has a light kumquat flavor and a rich, sour-sweet taste with a tart hint.

Ingredients: 0.5 kg each of citrus, yellow and red plums, 1 kg of sugar. The fruit is washed, pips removed, sliced into half rings and covered with sugar. It is enough to wait 2-3 hours to get the juice. The mass is mixed and put on the stove on low heat. Boil in 1 step, 25 minutes is enough. Longer cooking is not necessary, the plum will turn into mush. The jam is stored in a cool place.

Kumquat with walnuts and raisins

The basis is a traditional recipe with the same proportions and cooking method. The difference is the additional ingredient. In the golden-transparent syrup, pieces of dark raisins and nuts look very beautiful. They are added in the last 10 minutes of cooking. The secret is that the finished jam should not be eaten immediately. It should stand for at least a day, so that the raisins and nuts soak up the syrup.

Making jam in a multicooker

Technical possibilities allow you to prepare a dessert with half the amount of sugar. For 1 kg of fruit, take 0.5 kg of sugar and the juice of 3 large oranges. The ingredients are immediately put in a bowl. The kumquats can be cooked whole, in halves or rings. Cooking time will be 40 minutes in the "Stew" mode. After 20 minutes, stir the contents, checking the degree of readiness, and run the program further until the desired thickness.

Storage conditions

An important point for determining the term and conditions is the method of cooking. If the delicacy was boiled for no more than 10 minutes, then it will have to be taken to the cellar or a cool balcony. The bottom shelf of the refrigerator is considered ideal for such twists.

Well boiled delicacy in dryly sterilized jars can be left in a pantry at room temperature, or placed in a kitchen cupboard, but away from the stove and heating elements.

Interesting facts about kumquats

Kumquat is an exotic fruit for the inhabitants of the European part. It belongs to the citrus species, but unlike other species does not require peeling the skin, it is eaten whole. It's also called kumquat:

• Called the food of the wise for its ability to activate the brain;
• Considered the smallest of the citrus families;
• valued for its mood-enhancing properties;
• in its fresh form it is recommended for dietary nutrition;
• grown at home as an ornamental plant;
• used as a hangover cure;
• Used in cooking, folk medicine and cosmetology.

The golden orange is gradually becoming not just an exotic, but a desired component for the preparation of delicate, sunny-colored delicacies. A spoonful of jam will bring a good mood and keep off colds. And this is an important reason to make such a dessert for the winter according to any of the proposed recipes.

Photo kumquat jam