After an unfortunate frost last year that affected my kumquat tree, I am delighted to report a successful recovery this season, with an abundance of fruit. Inspired by this bounty, I decided to make my kumquat lemon thyme marmalade. As you may recall from my previous post on blueberry lemon thyme jam, I have a fondness for pairing lemon thyme with fruit. The herb melds particularly well with citrus, adding extra layers of refreshingly citrusy notes—almost like a perfumed lemon—to the marmalade.
The kumquat lemon thyme marmalade is perfect for spreading on warm sourdough bread, whether during the chilly winter months or the balmy days of summer. In winter, it provides the much-needed citrusy, slightly bitter contrast to the heavier foods typical of the season, while in summer, it offers a refreshing complement to combat the sweltering heat.
It pairs wonderfully with baked poultry and—surprisingly enough—add a wonderful refreshing and contrasting flavor to baked sweet potatoes, creating my personal favorite combination.
Preparing the Kumquats
Begin by selecting fully ripe organic kumquats, as we’ll be using the entire fruit in our marmalade. Preparing the kumquats is the most time-consuming part of this recipe, requiring patience and care. To make the best use of your time during this process, consider listening to a podcast or an audiobook while you work.
There are five key steps to follow, as illustrated in the image below. By the end of this process, you will have finely julienned kumquats ready to be transformed into delicious marmalade. The purpose of these five specific steps is to completely remove the white pith in the center, which can add an unwanted extra bitterness. This method also prevents bruising the fruit and losing juice, which can happen if the fruit is cut through the seeds.
Lemon Thyme
Pounding the lemon thyme with sugar in a mortar and pestle helps to release the essential oils from the herb. This will further infuse the marmalade with a refreshing, lemony fragrance.
Cooking the Kumquat Lemon Thyme Marmalade
Once all the ingredients are prepared, transfer them into a nonreactive medium-sized cooking pot. I prefer using a Staub cast iron pot for its excellent heat distribution and consistent temperature control. The marmalade will cook in about 45 minutes, requiring variable heat adjustments and occasional stirring throughout the process.
Prepare the canning jars
While the kumquat lemon thyme marmalade simmers, you can get the jars ready.
- Begin by washing the glass jars thoroughly, ensuring all soap residue is completely rinsed off. Allow them to drain slightly so that any excess water can drip away.
- Arrange the jars on a clean rack and place them in a preheated oven at 100ºC (212ºF).
- Leave them in the oven for the duration of the marmalade’s cooking time. This will not only dry the jars but also sterilize them. Remember not to touch the inside of the jars after sterilization. Instead, use canning tongs or kitchen gloves to handle the hot jars. Don’t place the rubber seals in the oven, as the heat will cause them to deform.
- Turn off the oven once the jars are sterilized. Place the rubber seals inside the still-warm oven for about five minutes to heat and sterilize them slightly.
Canning and Storing Your Homemade Kumquat Lemon Thyme Marmalade
Once the marmalade has finished cooking and the jars are prepared and still hot, carefully ladle the marmalade into the jars, leaving approximately 2 cm (1 inch) of headspace at the top. Ensure the rims of the jars are free of any marmalade residue; if necessary, wipe them clean with a damp cloth.
Secure the jars with lids, tightening them firmly, and allow them to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, store the marmalade in the refrigerator.
Jam recipes
I’d love to hear about your experiences with this recipe. Do you have any variations or tips to share? Feel free to leave a comment below or reach out through social media. Sharing these culinary adventures enriches our experiences and flavors. Happy cooking, and may your days be as sweet and flavorful as this kumquat lemon thyme marmalade!
Kumquat Lemon Thyme Marmalade
Equipment & Tools
- Canning jars & lids (1800ml total)
INGREDIENTS
- 1500 g kumquats (fresh, stemmed)
- 415 g cane sugar (unrefined)
- 50 g light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp vanilla paste (Nielsen-Massey)
- 3 tbsp lemon thyme (leaves only)
- 2 tbsp Grand Marnier
- ½ cup water
- 2 tbsp honey (acacia)
INSTRUCTIONS
General prep
- Take a dessert plate and place it in a freezer. Wash the canning jars and the lids and place them in the oven to sterilize. Turn the oven on to 100°C (212°F), place the jar in the oven and let the jars dry completely.
Prep the fruit
- Thoroughly wash the kumquats under running water. Once washed, transfer them to a clean kitchen towel and gently pat them dry to remove any excess moisture.Slice each kumquat into quarters lengthwise. Carefully remove the seeds and discard them. Also, cut out and discard the white pith in the middle, as it can add bitterness to your marmalade.Take each quartered piece and slice it into thin julienne strips. This will ensure they are evenly distributed throughout the marmalade, providing a consistent texture and flavor.
Make the jam
- Place 2 tablespoons of cane sugar into a mortar. Add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon thyme leaves to the sugar. Using the pestle, gently pound the lemon thyme and sugar together. Continue this process until the thyme leaves are well-bruised and have released their essential oils, infusing the sugar and making it moist.
- Take a large, nonreactive saucepan and add the sliced kumquat, light brown sugar, vanilla paste, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon thyme, Grand Marnier, and water. Finally, incorporate the sugar-lemon thyme mixture that you prepared earlier.Stir all the ingredients together, ensuring they are well mixed.
- For 5 minutes, with occasional stirring, cook on high (8/11) heat until the bubbles start to appear on the surface. The kumquat should release enough liquid to slightly cover the mixture.Lower the heat to 6 and cook for another 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.Further, lower the heat to 5 and cook for another 9 minutes, stirring occasionally.Finally, lower the heat to 3 and cook for about 19 minutes.
- Add honey and stir to combine.
- For a final check place a tablespoon of the jam on the plate from the freezer and spread in a thin layer. Taste the jam and check for structure. It should be dense and shiny.
Fill the jars
- Using jar lifter or baking gloves carefully remove a jar from the oven. They will be quite hot, so be careful not to burn yourself.Using a larger spoon carefully ladle some jam into the jar. Use jar funnel if you have one. If not try not to drop any jam on the jar rim. Fill the jar by leaving about 2 cm (1in) space from the top.Check that the rim of the jar is clean (no jam on it) and if not take a clean kitchen towel and wipe it clean and dry.Place the lid on top, close tightly. When you put the lid on, it should not touch the jam inside. Set aside. Repeat with other jars.
- Let the marmalade cool to room temperature on the kitchen counter.
- Store in the fridge or preserve the marmalade (see below).
Preserve the marmalade (optional)
- Using a large stainless steel pot place a canning rack on the bottom. See note if you don't have a canning rack.Carefully place the filled jars on the canning rack. Add hot boiling water to the pot so that ⅘ of the jar's height is covered.Turn the heat on medium to achieve very slow simmer. Simmer for at least 10 minutes.Turn the heat off and let the jars cool a bit before taking them out. Approximately 15 minutes. After 15 minutes take the jars out on a cooling rack using the jar lifter and let them cool completely. With a cloth, wipe the water marks from the jar and store in a cool place.
NOTES
- If the jar lids have a rubber band which is separate from the lid, don’t put them in the oven along with the jars and lids.
- Before closing the lids fully, always check that you placed the lid correctly as any air circulation will not allow for the jam to be preserved correctly. This is especially important with the jar that has a rubber band separately from the lid (e.g. Weck jars).
- The jam is properly preserved if the top of the lid is convex or indented inward and pressing on it does nothing. If it is concave and when you press it, it indents inwards then you should reseal the jar and repeat the preserving process since the jar did not seal airtight. Or just consume this jar first.
- If you don’t have a canning rack for the pot, use kitchen cloth. It is important for the jars not to be directly on the heat source. Just fold the kitchen cloth so that it covers the bottom of the pot and it is folded at least 4 times. If it is too small for 4 folds then use two cloths. Make sure that when you place the jars they are leveled and not tilted to the side.
- Once you start to consume the jam and the jar is not sealed airtight anymore, it is best to keep it in the fridge.
