Chocolate Dipped Kumquats

As you may have noticed by now, I have a fascination with all things citrus. I've never visited a citrus grove before, but I'm sure I would love it. Maybe someday, I will move to a warmer climate and grow one of my very own.

I've recently become enamored by the pint-sized citrus fruit better known as the kumquat. We've devoured most of the candied kumquats I made a few weeks ago, which forced me to go out and buy some more while they are still in season. This time around, I also sugared some and then dipped them in melted milk chocolate. To say that these are addicting is an understatement.


The method for this is pretty straight forward. I began by simmering 4 cups of sliced kumquats in a simple syrup made from equal parts water and sugar (one and a half cups of each to be precise) for 15 minutes until they were tender and translucent. At this point, I removed them from the syrup using a slotted spoon, laid them out on a cookie sheet and then left them to dry in a 180 degree F oven. When they feel close to being done, I roll them in some sugar (which draws out even more moisture) and place them back into the oven to finish drying. After cooling for a couple of hours at room temperature, I dip them halfway into some tempered milk chocolate. Simple as that! And a great homemade Valentine Day gift if you ask me. The dried kumquats can be stored in the freezer until you are really to dip them.

Tip: You can skip the sugaring if you'd like when making these. You're also left with deliciously tangy citrus syrup to use in desserts and cocktails.