I don't think it's too much. The fruit is only cooking with the syrup for five minutes so it's not taking on a lot of flavor. That would only happen over several weeks. Cinnamon sticks are not created equal. If they're you're aveage 4 inch sticks, use three. If they're larger, use less. People cut criss crosses in hams all the time and insert cloves and bake for hours. It's more an aura of flavor than actual flavor. Yes. You boil and drain to reduce bitterness of the zest. Recipe looks fine to me.

olychick, that's kind of confusing, I know. It's actually a recipe I got from Carol/Readinglady, and it's definitely worth the trouble. Measure the fruit and add a cup to the cooking pot. Add a cup of sugar, stir to dissolve, then add more fruit, stir, add more sugar, stir, keep alternating until it's all in the pot. That way the sugar will dissolve and not clump up or stay grainy. Happy Canning! Annie

CHOCLATE KUMQUAT SPRING ROLLS Make sure you use thin spring roll wrappers, which can be found in Asian markets, not egg roll wrappers. Makes 3 dozen spring rolls, about 10 servings Ingredients 5 whole kumquats, cut into 1/4-inch slices and seeded, juices reserved 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream 1/8 teaspoon salt 8 1/4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped 1 large egg yolk 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened Thirty-six 5-inch square spring roll wrappers 1 large egg, lightly beaten Canola, vegetable, or other neutral oil for deep-frying Directions Put the kumquat slices and their juices into a small saucepan, add the cream and salt, and warm over medium heat just until bubbles form around the edges of the pan. Remove from the heat. Put the chocolate into the bowl of a food processor and pour the hot kumquat cream over it. Let sit for 2 minutes, then process until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny. Add the egg yolk, Grand Marnier, and butter and process to combine. Line an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap. Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan and transfer to the freezer. Freeze, uncovered, until completely hard. Unmold the chocolate bar and peel off the plastic wrap. Cut the bar lengthwise in half, then cut each half crosswise into 1/2-inch slices. You should have 36 chocolate bars. Lightly brush the entire surface of a spring roll wrapper with a bit of the beaten egg. Turn the wrapper so that you see a diamond, and lay a chocolate bar across the end closest to you so that the ends of the bar meet the edges of the wrapper to form a triangle. Take the corner of the wrapper closest to you and wrap it around the chocolate, then roll the chocolate away from you one full rotation. Tightly fold the sides in toward the center, then continue to roll up to the end of the wrapper, making sure the end is tightly sealed. Set on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and chocolate. Freeze the spring rolls for at least 10 minutes or up to 2 days; take them out only when you are ready to fry them. Fill a saucepan with oil to a depth of 2 inches and heat to 350F. When the oil is ready (a tiny pinch of flour will sizzle), add a few spring rolls, taking care to not crowd the pan, and cook, turning occasionally and adjusting the heat as necessary to maintain 350°F, until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels and cook the remaining rolls. Serve warm. --------------------------- CHAMPAGNE KUMQUAT-TANGELO MARMALADE Makes about 12-24 servings Ingredients: 1/2 pound kumquats 1 whole tangelo or tangerine** 1 bottle champagne 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup water Directions Chop kumquats coarsely and remove seeds. Thinly slice tangelo/tangerine and remove any seeds. Bring to boil all ingredients. Reduce heat. On low heat for a light bubbling simmer, reduce to thick syrup stage  about 2 hours ** Substitutes: Tangerine (Mandarin/Satsuma, Citrangequat, Taiwaniquat, Citrange, Orangequat ------------------------------------- PAN-SEARED SCALLOPS WITH KUMQUATS Serves 2-3 Ingredients 1/2 cup orange juice or tangerine juice 1/2 cup seeded, thinly sliced kumquats 1 clove shallot, thinly sliced 1 tsp fresh lime juice 1/2 fresh green jalapeno, seeded, finely diced 1 tsp honey 6-8 whole sea scallops 1 Tbs butter 2 tsp olive oil cooked basmati or jasmine rice 1-2 tsp fresh cilantro, finely chopped 1 Tbs pistachios, chopped Directions Combine juice, kumquats, shallot, lime juice, jalapeno, and honey in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pat scallops completely dry with a paper towel before cooking to produce less splatter and to sear more effectively. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add butter and olive oil. Once melted and bubbly, add the scallops; cook for 2-3 minutes per side or until golden and browned and just opaque in the center. Arrange rice on plates; add 3-4 scallops, and top with kumquat sauce. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and pistachios. ------------------------- MARMALADE GLAZED BABY CARROTS Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish. Ingredients: 2 pounds fresh baby carrots 1/2 cup marmalade (Champagne Kumquat-Tangelo Marmalade!!) 1 Tbs water 2 Tbs brown sugar 1 Tbs butter 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg 1 Tbs cornstarch 2 Tbs water salt and pepper to taste Directions Combine all ingredients in a crock pot and cook on low for 7 to 9 hours, until carrots are tender. About 15 minutes before serving, make a paste of the cornstarch and cold water; stir into carrots. Taste and adjust seasonings. ---------------------- "PRESERVED" KUMQUATS Makes about 2 cups Ingredients 1 pound kumquats 2 cups sugar 1 cup boiling water Directions Use a knife to cut a slit at both ends of the kumquat, or stab the kumquat several times with a (sterilized) needle. In a medium saucepan, add the sugar to the boiling water at medium-high heat, stirring. Turn the heat down to low, cover and simmer for 10 - 15 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved. Add the fruit. Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, until the kumquat is tender (Adjust the heat up or down as needed to keep at a simmer; the total cooking time should be about 45 minutes). Place the kumquats in sealed jars and refrigerate. Joe

Vivian Lloyd writes the following and I quote: "A marmalade with true fruit flavour, a bright colour, tender peel and a gelled consistency calls for a balanced recipe. The best ones have double the weight of sugar to citrus fruit and sufficient water to soften the peel, preferably 2.25 litres for each 1kg of fruit". Her process is to juice the fruit and cut the peel. The membranes are removed after juicing, and cut fine, then put in cheesecloth with any seeds and boiled with the peel/juice/water for 2 hours at a simmer with the lid on. Only then, when the peel is soft, do you add the sugar and boil as hard as you can stand (given the size of your pot and level of lava eruptions). I have used this on my last 12 batches (I have a small jam business) and find it really works well. In answer to your question about doubling, this method makes about 6-7, 250 ml jars of marmalade. In terms of how long it takes to get a big volume to the right temp, I am at 3300 feet above sea level, so it takes a longer cooking time to get a set than Vivian Lloyd suggests. I am thinking as she lives in the UK, it is unlikely she is much above sea level.