This homemade kumquat star anise jam is delicious to have on hand at home for your morning toast and also makes an impressive gift for friends and family. So if you are looking for a citrus jam you can make using kumquats, then this recipe is for you.
For this kumquat and star anise jam recipe, I’ve used Nagami Kumquats. They are small and oval-shaped fruits between 1 and 2 inches long with edible skin. And they are the fruit produced by the kumquat tree I have growing in my backyard. You can read more on growing a kumquat tree here.
With an abundance of kumquats ready to harvest, this recipe for jam is a perfect way to preserve them. This jam is marmalade-like in that it uses the skin of the kumquats but also uses the entire citrus fruit. So there is no waste with this recipe.
Chopping the kumquats into the desired size, along with deseeding them is, admittedly, a fairly lengthy process. Usually, as I’m halfway through I take a break so I can come back to the task with renewed enthusiasm. And the results are well worth the effort!
There are some kumquat jam recipes that don’t bother deseeding the kumquats but once you see how big these seeds are, you may agree you would prefer to take them out.
It’s important to keep the seeds though, as they contain high levels of pectin which sets the jam. Once the seeds are removed, I place them in cheesecloth or muslin and tie them up to pop in the pot along with all the chopped-up kumquats.
The process of soaking the prepared kumquats in water overnight is important, so if you prefer to make this recipe all in one day, plan to allow a good 8-10 hours of soaking time.
The star anise brings a lovely aniseed flavor to the jam. It’s not overly strong in this recipe but if you don’t like this addition it can be left out without affecting the recipe.
This jam is sweet and tart with small pieces of deliciously chewy pieces of citrusy kumquat. You can spread the jam on toast or scones, top yogurt, or make into a pastry. I also love pairing this kumquat jam with cheese and crackers.
So I hope you enjoy this jam as much as I do!
Table of Contents
For This Recipe You Will Need:
Preserving Pan or a large stainless steel saucepan but avoid aluminum
Food Thermometer – optional
Cheesecloth, muslin, or similar (to collect the kumquat seeds)
Widemouth Funnel – optional
If you love preserving recipes you might also be interested in Home Preserving Recipe Book.
Ingredients for Kumquat and Star Anise Jam
Kumquats (2.2lb or 1kg, this will be about 7 cups chopped)
3 Star Anise (plus 1 additional star anise per jar for decoration – optional)
5 Cups White Sugar (or raw sugar)
5 Cups Water
Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
How to Make Kumquat and Star Anise Jam
Wash the kumquats.
Chop the kumquats into small pieces. I do this by slicing them in half, then quarters. You can stop here if you would like a chunkier style jam, but I prefer to then go on to slice the quarters into smaller pieces. Smaller kumquat pieces will also help speed up the cooking time. During this time, remove the seeds as you go, keeping them to one side.
Place all the chopped kumquat pieces directly into the pot you’ll be using to cook them. Add the water and then cover with a lid and leave on the kitchen bench overnight.
Kumquat seeds are still needed for this recipe, they contain a large portion of pectin and this will set your jam. Once all the seeds have been gathered, wrap them in cheesecloth or muslin. Then place them in the pot with the kumquats overnight.
The next day, add the lemon juice to the kumquat pot, set the kumquats on the stove on high heat, and bring to a boil before turning down to a simmer. Cook the kumquats for 30-45 minutes or until they are soft. If there are any hard pieces of fruit, they’ll stay that way so make sure the fruit is soft or cooked to your preferred texture before moving to the next step.
Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Once the sugar is dissolved, turn the heat up to bring the jam to a boil. Continue to boil the jam, uncovered, on high for around 30-45 minutes until the setting point is reached. Stir jam occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick. The jam will have reduced and become a glossy texture and reduced by about 1/3. See tips below for checking the setting point.
Prepare your sterilized jars.
Pour hot jam into the prepared hot jars and top with star anise for decoration. Wipe the rims clean and pop the lids on.
Once opened, kumquat jam can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 months. Properly sealed jars will store on the shelf for 12 months.
Yield: approx 4 cups.
Kumquat and Star Anise Jam Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.2 lb Kumquats (1 Kg, about 7 cups chopped)
- 3 Star Anise (plus 1 additional star anise per jar for decoration – optional)
- 5 Cups Sugar (or raw sugar)
- 5 Cups Water
- Juice from 1/2 a Lemon
Instructions
- Wash the kumquats.
- Chop the kumquats into small pieces. I do this by slicing them in half, then quarters. You can stop here if you would like a chunkier style jam, but I prefer to then go on to slice the quarters into smaller pieces. Smaller kumquat pieces will also help speed up the cooking time. During this time, remove the seeds as you go, keeping them to one side.
- Place all the chopped kumquat pieces directly into the pot you’ll be using to cook them. Add the water and then cover with a lid and leave on the kitchen bench overnight.
- Kumquat seeds are still needed for this recipe, they contain a large portion of pectin and this will set your jam. Once all the seeds have been gathered, wrap them in cheesecloth or muslin. Then place them in the pot of kumquats overnight.
- The next day, add the lemon juice to the kumquat pot, set the kumquats on the stove on high heat, and bring to the a boil before turning down to a simmer. Cook the kumquats for 30-45 minutes or until they are soft. If there are any hard pieces of fruit, they’ll stay that way so make sure the fruit is soft or cooked to your preferred texture before moving to the next step.
- Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve. Once the sugar is dissolved, turn the heat up to bring the jam to a boil. Continue to boil the jam, uncovered, on high for around 30-45 minutes until setting point is reached. Stir jam occasionally to make sure the bottom doesn’t stick. The jam will have reduced and become a glossy texture and reduced by about 1/3. See tips below for checking setting point.
- Prepare your sterilized jars.
- Pour hot jam into the prepared hot jars and top with star anise for decoration. Wipe the rims clean and pop the lids on.
- Once opened, kumquat jam can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 months. Properly sealed jars will store on the shelf for 12 months.
Jam Making Notes:
- The easiest way to check the setting point is by using a food thermometer. When the temperature reaches 220°F (105°C) for one minute, the setting point has been reached.
- Without a thermometer, place a small plate or saucer in the freezer. When you would like to check the jam, take the plate out of the freezer and dollop a small amount of jam on the plate. If you can run a finger through the jam and it remains separated, your jam is set.
- For sterilizing jars, there are a few options. I place clean jars (washed in hot soapy water) in a large pot lined with a tea towel on the stove, fill with water, bring to a boil and gently boil for 10 minutes. It’s important the water temperature is similar to the jar temperature. So cold jars, use cold water, and let it come up to temperature. If you place cold jars into already boiling water the jars can crack.
- You can also sterlize jars in the oven. Make sure the jars have been properly cleaned (use hot soapy water), then place them in a cold oven and set it to 230°F (110°C). Once the temperature has been reached, leave them for 10 minutes before removing them. Lids can be included here, as long as there is no plastic inside the lid. If there is, then sterilize the lids separately in boiling water for 5 minutes.
- Increasing the batch size is not usually recommended for making jams. It will increase the cooking time and reduce the flavor.
- Once the jam has been poured into the jars with their lids secured, the lids will compress over the next few hours to indicate they are properly sealed.
- Jam can take up to 24 hours to set properly. If after 24 hours your jam did not set, you can either reboil the jam or you can use it as a sweet sauce topping on ice cream, yogurt, or even mix it with some soda water for a delicious drink.
Further reading:
- Eating Kumquat Fruit with Recipe Ideas
- Tomato Chili And Ginger Jam Recipe
- Kaffir Lime Fruit Uses In The Kitchen And Home
- How To Make Lemon And Lime Cordial: Homemade Cordial Recipe
- Easy Gluten Free Key Lime Pie Recipe with Almond Crust
