Cumquat jam

My friend Julie Walker recently gave me a bunch of cumquats (also known as kumquats), fresh from her tree.

I thought the intense citrus flavour would be best enjoyed by making the fruit into a jam, so here is my own recipe for cumquat jam.

Some recipes involve boiling and then straining the fruit, squeezing the pulp in a piece of muslin and then adding sugar.

It sounded all too fiddly for me and I prefer my jam with more body, anyway, so here's my take, jam-packed with pulp and all.

Thanks, Julie!

1 cup cumquats, washed

about 2 cups water

1 cup caster sugar

Put cumquats in a deep saucepan and cover with water, about 2 cups.

Bring to the boil.

Skim any scum off the surface of water.

Boil on high heat for about 10 minutes until cumquat skins start to soften.

Lower flame and simmer for about 1 hour until mixture becomes a pulp.

If it thickens too quickly, add 2tbsp water to loosen mixture.

When pulp is really soft, add in sugar all at once and stir with wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved and well mixed. Simmer on very low heat for 10 more minutes. If you like it sweeter, add more sugar. The flavour will be very intense with a lovely citrus fragrance.

Cool a little and then pour into sterilised jars.

Delicious on toast at breakfast!