Kumquat preserves —¶

This week, I felt like trying something new. I found some beautiful kumquats at the store a few days ago. I’ve had my eyes on kumquats since a few winters already. I always wanted to make something with them but never knew what. ¶

Recently, I heard about a really simple way to make fruit preserves (and syrup). No heating involved – just sugar and fruit. I can already tell this will be the first of many experiments. ¶

Wash and dry the kumquats. Cut them in halves or quarters. I did a mixture of halves and quarters to explore the differences in textures. Add 2/3 of the total amount of sugar and mix for a few minutes. The fruit will quickly begin to release some juice. Put the kumquats in a jar, pressing them down slightly to remove air gaps. Lastly, add the remaining sugar to create a protective layer. Clean up the side of the jar if needed. Close the jar and keep it at room temperature for as long as you are able to wait. ¶

In a few days, the sugar at the bottom of the jar should have transformed into liquid. And in one to two weeks, I expect the sugar to be fully dissolved. ¶

I will add my updates here. ¶

12.03.25 — Update ¶
Unfortunately, this experiment doesn’t exist anymore. I could blame myself for not taking great care of these beautiful kumquats but I won’t go there. Moving houses was messy and the layer of mold on my kumquats might have been a physical manifestation of stress. Who knows ? ¶
On a happier note, I have 400g of beautiful kumquats that are waiting for me to transform them into something delicious. And I think today is the day…