Chocolate Covered Candied Kumquats

A couple weeks ago a friend gave me some kumquats from her trees.  She didn’t know what to do with them and to be honest with you, neither did I… So they safely lived in my refrigerator until a couple days ago.  With Easter around the corner, I decided that I would make some sort of a dessert or candy to share on Sunday. 

An old recipe for candied orange peels came to mind.  What I remembered was they were delicious but time consuming…  I didn’t cut any corners though and thought these would be a good experiment and also a labor of love!  In the recipe that follows, I candied the kumquats but also decided to dry them.  For the ones that I made, I dried them in a very low oven for 6 hours.  I think it was a little too long.  2 hours were not enough but 4 hours would have been perfect.  Unfortunately I was not home in time and my little orange jewels got a little bit chewy...  Nonetheless they are delicious (I’ve already had a few pieces…) and they just leave you with a nice zesty citrus after thought very characteristic to the kumquats. 

I hope you get to share something sweet with your family and friends this weekend.  Happy Easter and Happy Passover!

Chocolate Dipped Candied Kumquats                                                    Makes about 130 pieces

8 cups kumquats

4 cups sugar

1 cup water

1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

½ cup white chocolate, chopped

            Wash the kumquats and cut into half lengthwise.  Remove the seeds and place in a large bowl.  Cover with water by 2 inches.  Refrigerate overnight.

            The next day, drain the kumquats.  In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil.  Add the kumquats and boil for 1 minute.  Drain and repeat this process with fresh water.

In the same now empty saucepan, bring the sugar and 1 cup of water to a boil while stirring occasionally.  When the sugar is dissolved, add the kumquats and simmer until translucent, about 35 to 45 minutes.

            Drain the kumquats with a slotted spoon onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet.  Drain for a few minutes.  Transfer the rack with the kumquats onto another baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Place in the oven to dry for about 4 hours on the lowest setting.

            Let sit until cool.

            Place the chocolates into 2 separate bowls.  Reserve a few pieces of each.  Melt the chocolates for about 15 minutes in the oven on its lowest setting.  Stir until smooth, adding the reserve pieces.

            Remove the rack from the baking sheet.  Half dip the candied kumquats into the dark or white chocolate and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Set aside to dry and firm up.

            Transfer into an airtight container, layered with wax paper.  Refrigerate up to a month.  Serve at room temperature.

Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies with Bittersweet Chocolate

Just in time for Valentine's, I wanted to share something sweet with you... These cookies are perfect and satisfying.  They were given to me last year for my birthday by a wonderful baker and friend.  Hers didn't look like these and even though I have now made the recipe several times, I still can't replicate them!  I think she used more chocolate than called for and it turned the cookies more into a Florentine than an oatmeal cookie...  Nevertheless, they are fantastic.  This recipe makes 40 medium-size ones but you can vary the size as needed.  They are just sweet enough, chewy enough and crunchy enough.  And because they come from a Cooking Light magazine, you even feel healthy eating them!  Enjoy and have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

3 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2/3 cup, lightly spooned)

3 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 2/3 cup, lightly spooned)

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar

2 cups dried cranberries

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

            Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Combine the flours and rest of dry ingredients in a large bowl.

            Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Remove from the heat; add the brown sugar, stirring until smooth.  Add the sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended.  Add the cranberries, vanilla and eggs; beat until combined.  Fold in the chocolate.  Drop dough 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Cool on pans for 3 minutes and remove to a rack to cool.

Mini Pumpkin and Chocolate Cheesecakes

In honor of Halloween, I had to bake something black and orange with a pumpkin flavor of course... So here come these delicious mini cheesecakes...

I used the back of my pestle to press the crumbs into a crust.  Just a trick and plenty of treats... Enjoy...

1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs

3 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ teaspoon and 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

A pinch of freshly grated cinnamon

8 ounces light cream cheese, at room temperature

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

½ cup canned pumpkin puree

½ cup light sour cream

1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar

¼ teaspoon vanilla extra

            Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  In a medium bowl, mix together the chocolate wafer crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.  Line mini muffin tins with paper cups.  Fill each cup with a rounded teaspoon of the crumbs.  Press into a flat disk.

In a small bowl, mix ½ cup of the brown sugar and spices together.  In the bowl a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blend the cream cheese until smooth.  Add the spiced brown sugar and mix until very smooth.  Add the eggs and process well.  Add the pumpkin puree and mix again.

Transfer this mixture to a 2-cup pyrex glass measuring cup.  Carefully pour the filling into each muffin cup on top of the crust, filling each almost to the top.

Bake for 15 minutes.

            In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar and vanilla.

            Remove the cheesecakes from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325ºF.

            Spread a small amount of the sour cream mixture over each cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes.

            Let cool slightly and remove from the pan.  Cool completely and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for 1 month.

Makes 36.