Are you familiar with kumquats? I certainly wasn’t until I discovered a big kumquat tree in my new garden showing off plenty of small, oval shaped bright orange fruits that were very popular with the local birds.

Here’s the photo of these beautiful fruits.

The kumquat tree originates from China (kumquat means ‘gold orange’ in Chinese) and is found in Asia, Southern Europe, the Middle East and southern USA including Florida and California and in Australia, where I live.

The fruit has a really interesting flavour – the skin is sweet and the flash is bitter/tart, overall the fruit has a strong, refreshing and unique aroma. Kumquat’s peel, which is eaten along with the flesh, is thin and easy to cut through to the flesh that is juicy and soft.

Having looked online for ideas on how to consume kumquats, I understand that some people choose to only eat the sweet skin and squeeze out the tart juice. The skin is sweet and tastes amazing but for me eating the whole fruit tastes best.

The ripe bright orange fruit can be enjoyed in many ways: fresh, sliced and added to salads, cooked, pickled, as dried peel and in jams or marmalades. Kumquat fruit

Kumquat is very nutritious as well, rich in carotene, vitamins C (a rich source) and E, minerals (including calcium, potassium, manganese and copper), many essential oils, fibre and antioxidants which provide strong free radicals protection.

Kumquat jam recipe

This is a very simple recipe that works well every time and tastes fantastic. I looked at many kumquat jam recipes online before deciding to make my own version with just two ingredients – and it turned out to be outstanding.

The fruit is small so it will take time to prepare the kumquats if you are using larger quantity of fruit. You’ll need a few hours for slicing the fruit into quarters and removing the seeds. Put on your favourite music and you’ll be fine:).

Ingredients
1 kg of ripe kumquats
750g-1 kg of sugar
A splash of brandy or whiskey (optional)

Wash the fruit, cut it into quarters and remove the seeds. Place the fruit pieces in a big, deep frying pan and simmer for an hour or so stirring frequently until the skin is soft and the mix has reduced and thickened (add a little water if the mixture is too thick).

Mix in the sugar and simmer slowly for another 40-50 minutes stirring frequently until the mixture is soft and thick.

Addition of brandy will further enhance the flavour, if it’s something you enjoy. I did add brandy to 1/3 of the jam and left the rest as it was thus creating two different flavours.

Put the hot jam into small sterilised glass jars (put the jars in the oven for around 15 minutes at 100C before using them). Leave overnight. Keep the jars in a cool kumquat jamplace.

Enjoy the orange coloured and aromatic jam with freshly cut bread, on a toast or spread over your favourite chocolate (homemade) biscuits.

I made my jam using 3 kg of fruit and ended up with 15 jars of this delicious jam! Everyone who tried it totally loved it.

So I’m going to give a few jars of this homemade delight as gifts to my friends and family to spread the word about my new favourite jam.

Do you have a favourite kumquat jam recipe to share? I’d love to hear about it! Post it in the comments below.

Browse more of our tried and tested, healthy and yummy recipes in the Recipes Hub → and key nutrition and good foods articles and guides in our Nutrition Hub →

Best of Health
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Joanna Sochan
Wholistic Health and Lifestyle Therapist
Natural and Lifestyle Solutions for Abundant Health

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen, particularly if you are taking prescription or over-the-counter medications or have a medical condition.

Joanna Sochan is Wholistic Natural Therapist and founder of Naturimedica Wholistic Wellcare. She has over 15 years of clinical experience working with complex health presentations, with a focus on gut health, food sensitivities, women’s hormone health (including perimenopause and menopause), metabolic health, weight regulation, and senior health. She works with clients Australia-wide and online, and also develops therapeutic programs, eCourses, and educational resources designed to support long-term, sustainable wellbeing. View full bio.