kumquat quick-jam question

I want to make a quick, bright kumquat "jam" to stir into a dulce de leche ice cream I'm working on. I will slice and de-seed the kumquats, but them I'm wondering how best to proceed:

- Boil with water alone, and then let sit overnight, before adding sugar the next day. Is this necessary?
- Can I boil with water, sugar, and a bit of lemon or lime juice, until goopy? Wait for it to cool, and stir into the ice cream?

I have no intention of preserving the "jam". I just want a slush of soft, concentrated kumquat flavor.

Thought? Thanks!

Cristina Sciarra
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7 Comments

Couldn't B. February 20, 2013
We have a huge kumquat tree so I always make a very easy kumquat marmalade. It is essentially equal parts (by weight) kumquats and sugar with some water. No waiting overnight, it can be cooked right away. Here is the recipe. http://www.couldntbeparve.com/2012/06/easy-kumquat-marmalade/
The peels come out nice and soft. If you are freezing it in ice cream I would recommend cooking it a bit less to more of a sauce consistency. Fully set kumquat marmalade can be a bit chewy when added to ice cream. (Kumquat marmalade on vanilla ice cream is one of my favorite desserts.)
 
EmilyC February 20, 2013
I don't have any advice on method, but dulce de leche ice cream + kumquat jam sounds delicious! I just saw a recipe in this month's Bon Appetit where you stir orange marmalade into vanilla ice cream and thought that sounded great, too. Hope you post your recipe here!
 
Cristina S. February 20, 2013
Thanks, Emily! I'm leaving for Buenos Aires (!) on Friday, so I wanted my blog post this week to reflect that in some way. Even if I don't upload the recipe to Food52 right away, I'll post the link here. :)
 
Cristina S. February 20, 2013
Hm, that seems even easier. With this method, how soft do the rinds become? For the ice cream, I'd like them to be quite soft. (Although, as a jam, I may try this soon!)
 
petitbleu February 20, 2013
I've done this a couple times this year, and it couldn't be easier. I simply make a simple syrup of water and sugar (1:1), bring to a simmer, throw in thinly sliced kumquats (seeded), and simmer until the syrup is thick and the kumquats are translucent. As it cools, it takes on the consistency of marmalade and tastes delicious. I've been using it on toast and in cocktails. Yum!
 
hardlikearmour February 20, 2013
Diana Henry has a recipe for a kumquat and passion fruit jam in Salt Sugar Smoke. She combines kumquats, orange juice, lemon juice, and passion fruit pulp in pan, then brings it to a boil and reduces the heat to gently cook the mixture until the kumquat skins are tender. She covers the pan and lets it sit overnight. Next day she adds the sugar, then reboils until it hits the setting point. I'd be inclined to follow her instructions for the most part. If you want to be more adventurous, I'd at least let the kumquats and juice macerate in the sugar for at least 8 hours -- see my kumquat shaker pie recipe; the kumquat peels soften nicely in the process of macerating them then baking them in the pie so I imagine it would work in a more jammish application.
 
Cristina S. February 20, 2013
Thanks, Sara! I think I will boil the kumquats first with lime juice and zest, let it sit overnight, and then add sugar and salt and heat again. I do want them to be soft enough so that they won't be distracting in ice cream. Great advice!
 
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