Kumquat Liqueur (Gin or Vodka) recipe
Comments(17)
Our old friend Gilbert introduced us to kumquat liqueur. He serves tiny glasses of this elegant tipple with an exotic fruit salad on Marjorie’s birthday. We were intrigued and clamoured for the recipe. Gilbert refused to share his secret. The resulting impasse was a challenge. If he hadn’t topped up our glasses it could have been war.
We couldn’t take up this challenge for months as we had to wait until kumquats appeared in the local supermarkets. Finally the day came and I rushed home with two small packs of kumquats and a large bottle of gin. Danny picked one up and sniffed it suspiciously. We sampled the rind and the flesh and decided to make two versions of the grog.
Danny carefully pared the rind off his pack of kumquats, using only the rind in the brew. I sliced mine into small rings. Two years later my kumquats looked very pretty in the jar but Danny’s brew won hands down. Mine was bitter-sweet. We had discovered Gilbert’s secret. The sweetness of the kumquat is in the rind rather than the flesh.
The other tip is that most citrus fruit liqueurs (such as our Lemon Gin) need a decent amount of time to develop. I insisted that we kept our kumquat gin for a couple of years before sampling. Two years later Danny carried the bottle in and polished a couple of glasses to recieve the precious liquid. The wait was well worthwhile. Absolutely exquisite.
If you make citrus based liqueurs each year, within a few years you’ll always have some bottles reaching their peak.
“A rock solid investment.” As Gilbert sagely advised us all those years ago.
Kumquat Liqueur recipe
Ingredients:
- 1.5 litres of good quality gin or vodka (it does make a huge difference. We use a good supermarket brand).
- 300g of kumquats
- 100g granulated sugar (just to start it off as the rind is sweet).
Method:
- Pour off 200ml of gin/vodka into a small jug to make space in the bottle.
- Carefully pare the rind of the fruit, avoiding the bitter pith and add this rind to the bottle.
- Using a funnel, add the sugar.
- Top up the remaining space with the gin/vodka from the jug.
- Pour yourself a large gin/vodka and tonic using the remains from the jug. This might take the edge off the prospect of the long wait ahead.
- Leave the bottle on the side and turn it every day for a few days to dissolve the sugar.
- Hide the bottle in a dark place for at least two years before sampling alone.
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[...] The Cottage Smallholder offers a way to imbibe kumquat by infusing gin or vodka with fresh kumquats in a Kumquat Liqueur recipe. [...]
hi fiona,
i was in the local farm shop when i noticed a bejewelled tray…..lo, it was full of kumquats! £5.99 per kg seemed a bit steep to me. i think i will have to do some research. i would prefer to use the farm shop, as we frequent it for most things, but still!
also, is there anything i can do with the actual fruit after i have disrobed it?!
Hi Sam
Kumquats would be expensive – you’d get a lot in a kilo.
You can make kumquat sauce and ice cream I think. I haven’t tried either.
Kumquat liqueur is well worth making. Although it does take time. Can you buy less than a kilo?
i could buy less and looking at your recipe again, i wouldn’t need as much as a kilo to make a goodly amount of it. does this one need to go in the boot as well? if i get pulled over by the local constabulary, i would be some serious trouble, i think!!!
Hi Sam
This is well worth making. In the boot for a year if you have any space left!
it’s certainly going to be a bit chocker in there!!! i have the lemon gin, the lime gin and the lemon vodka….. it’s only a little ford fiesta you know!!
i mentioned to nick that i was very tempted by this new tipple, i don’t think he was very impressed as we now have a boot full of booze and the cupboard under the stairs also houses quite a bit of grog!!! “when are we going to drink all of this?” he asked….” “not for several years” i replied. he was quite crestfallen! i remain VERY tempted!
sam
Hi Sam
Your excellent comment made us laugh
When Nick tastes the grog he will not regret the wait.
Hi,
I’m hosting AFAM – Kumquats event:
http://www.coffeeandvanilla.com/?p=2011
Today is the last day and I would love to have this recipe as your entry, it is awesome.
Margot
Kumquat brandy liqueur
About half a kilo of kumquats, 250 grams of sugar and a bottle of brandy. Spike the whole kumquats with a fork and place in large jar (empty coffe jar is fine) top with sugar and fill up with brandy. Store in a dark place and turn jar upside down every few days until sugar has melted and then leave it in peace for as long as you can. I have tasted a 10 year old kumquat liqueur and that was really special. Me? I have kept a jar for three years and I can tell you – it was pretty good. It can be drunk after about a year but if you leave it for several years it mellows a lot.
Don’t use cheap brandy – this liqueur needs a half decent brandy to set it off……….enjoy!
Hello Kate
Thanks so much for this recipe I must keep my eyes peeled for kumquats as I’d love to try this!
Ya-Boo Sucks!!! Clever me, I grow my own kumquats! Actually I’ve had the tree 10 years & this is the first year I’ve had it full of kumquats! Undecided whether to have them brandied or chutneyed. Leaning towards chutney as I wont probably be here in 10 years to enjoy the brandy!The gypsies on the local market were selling 4 large mango’s or 3 Papayas for 1 euro (pinched of course)so Im in the chutney mode at the moment. Perhaps I’ll do both! Hilda
Hello Hilda
Well done growing your own kumquats. I know what I’d make with them
Hi
I have 5 Kumquat trees in my garden on Costa del Sol ( marbella )…with loadsa fruit….have already got the Liqueur on the go….two bottles so far haha…also make Kumquat Marmalade of which neighbours also enjoy….and the Chutney…mmmm…really fine….so I am happy that I am making use of the fruit….making more tomorrow….think I might just get a couple more bottles of Gin and get brewing hahha..Thanx for these recipes…
Hi Barb
All I can say is that I’m green with envy. I’d love to own 5 kumquat trees. Kumquat marmalade sound fab – any chance of the recipe?
The liquer is well worth making.
Thanks, I have some in my pantry over 3 years old,but wasn’t sure. So I’m happy. Along with some of my home pickled olives which didn’nt all fare so well. The air tight lid makes all the difference.
Will make a new batch today with Kumquats off my mother’s tree.
Cheers,thanks for the recipe and the comments were VERY helpful. Can’t wait to start drinking!
Helen Clark Enmore, Sydney
Hello Helen
Kumquats make a delicious liqueur. Hic.
Hi and new to this page. Lovely to hear about all of your bright ideas. I made damson gin, plum gin and sloe gin and bought a bottle of white rum and a bottle of brandy as I know all these things I make are wonderful presents at Christmas. This “look what I made” is enormous fun and fantastic taste.