January 24, 2020

Easy Kumquat Marmalade Recipe with Ginger

This kumquat marmalade recipe has been long anticipated (by me), and it does not disappoint! The bright, sweet and sour citrus fruit is met with a small amount of freshly grated ginger, which adds a subtle warmth to the finished marmalade while letting the kumquats remain the star. Serve on toast, in vegan yogurt, or topping pancakes to bring a little sunshine into the short winter days.

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On a Quest for Kumquats

I have been wanting to make kumquat marmalade for months- ever since the summer when I saw someone making it on TV and became obsessed with the idea. But kumquats aren’t like apples- you can’t go to the grocery store and find them any time of year. Kumquat season occurs between November and April so, in late December, I figured the time was right. And oh boy, was I wrong. I called or visited at least 10 grocery stores, only to find they had all just sold out, and had no plans to restock again until next year. And I almost decided that my kumquat marmalade recipe would wait until next year too, but I couldn’t let my marmalade dreams die. In the end, I bought 10 lbs. of kumquats on the internet. And it was so worth it. I split the box with my mom, but I think I could have gone through all ten pounds myself. Kumquats are the greatest! I might have to start a 10 pound a year tradition.

What is a Kumquat?

A kumquat (or cumquat, if you’re British) are the smallest of the commonly eaten citrus fruits. They were originally native to Asia, likely China, and are made up of four different species. In the United States we typically see Nagami kumquats, which are grown primarily in Florida and California. They are sweet on the outside, and tart in the middle, and are somewhat unique in the fact that the entire fruit is eaten, rind and all. If you’re facing a bowl of kumquats, pop a whole raw fruit into your mouth and enjoy that sweet and sour sensation. It reminds me a lot of eating sour-coated candies. Choose kumquats with smooth, unblemished skins, that are heavier, and totally firm. Nutritionally, kumquats contain high amounts of vitamin C, A, fiber, and antioxidants.

How to Use Marmalade

Obviously marmalade is delicious on toast, but it’s not the only option. Here are a few other ideas to use your homemade vegan kumquat marmalade.

Fill thumbprint cookies
Swirl into vegan yogurt
Top ice cream
Serve on crackers with vegan cheese
Top your pancakes
Add to tarts
Fill vegan crepes
Bake into a cake
Whisk into a homemade salad dressing
Top some oatmeal
Add to a tofu marinade

Looking for Toast-Toppers? Try one of these!

Making this Kumquat Marmalade Recipe

To make this kumquat recipe you first need to get your hands on a whole lot of kumquats. If you can’t find many, don’t worry- you can reduce the recipe to use only one pound, or even 1/2 pound. You want to remove the seeds from the kumquats, and to cut the rind into thin strips. I found the easiest way to do this was to cut in half, remove the seeds with my fingers, rub the flesh from the rind, and then chop the rind. Helpful hint- take the kumquats out of the fridge for a few hours before eating, otherwise your hands can start to get pretty chilly! From there it’s just a slow reduction of the mixture until the marmalade sets.

easy gingered spread with vegan brie — Please Note: The cheese shown in this image is in fact a vegan brie cheese. It’s a recipe that I’ve been experimenting with for a while, and, like everything else in my life, contains no animal products.

Easy Kumquat Marmalade Recipe with Ginger

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. fresh kumquats
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. freshly grated ginger
3 cups water

Instructions

Wash your kumquats, then prepare them. Cut in half, and remove the seeds. Squeeze the insides, flesh and white parts into a large saucepan. Roughly chop the peels into thin strips and add to the saucepan. Continue until all of the kumquats are processed. Place a few clean spoons in the freezer to test your marmalade later.
Add the sugar, grated ginger, and water, and stir to combine. Bring to a low boil at medium heat, and allow to simmer for around 45 minutes, stirring with a silicone spatula every few minutes at first and more often as it starts to cook down.
Once you start noticing large clumps as you stir, you’re getting close. To test the marmalade for readiness, take one of your spoons from the freezer and dip in the marmalade. Shake off some of the extra, and then look at what’s left on the spoon. If it’s thin and syrupy, you need to go longer. If it has the texture of jelly, you’re good to go!
Take the marmalade off the heat and transfer into clean jars. Close the lid, and let the kumquat marmalade cool completely before moving to the fridge.

https://veryveganval.com/2020/01/24/easy-kumquat-marmalade-recipe-with-ginger/

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