Candied Kumquats

Photo: flickr user scaredy_kat

Ingredients

1 pound Kumquats

1 1/2 cups Sugar

4 cups Water

1 prt water

1 prt sugar

Cream of tartar, see method

Granulated sugar, for coating

Preparation

The first part of this recipe is the same as for Preserved Kumquats.

Wash the kumquats in warm, soapy water. Rinse, cover with water and boil for 15 minutes. Drain well and repeat twice.

First syrup - combine 1 1/2 cups of sugar with 4 cups of water and boil for 5 minutes. Add the drained kumquats to the hot syrup and heat to 238F or boil gently until fruit is transparent. In order to keep the fruit plump, cover the pan just before you remove it from the heat and set it aside with the cover on for 30 minutes.

Drain the kumquats and poke a hole in the stem end with a toothpick.

Second syrup - This is a heavier syrup. Bring 1 part sugar and 1 part water to a boil. Add 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar for every quart of liquid.

Add the fruit and boil again for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the kumquats stand in the syrup for 24 hours. Return to the boil and cook for another 30 minutes. Drain. Dry on a rack and roll in the granulated sugar.