Kumquat Preserves

I recently came into a nice batch of kumquats and made this recipe. Lovely served as a 'spoon-sweet' (Greek-style, on a tiny plate, just 2 of the fruit and a glass of ice water to wash down the sweetness), or chopped up and served over premium (or homemade) vanilla icecream.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Yields: 4 1/2 pint jars

Ingredients

• 4 1⁄2 cups  whole kumquats
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 3 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 1  cup honey
• 3  cups  fresh orange juice
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄4 cup Grand Marnier

Directions

1. With a sterilized sewing needle, make about 6 punctures in the skin of each kumquat; place in glass bowl; cover with 2 quarts water and 2 tsps salt; cover bowl and set aside for 12-24 hours; drain.
2. Rinse with fresh water, drain, and add all the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat; cook for about 40 minutes, or until mixture begins to be clear & quite thick; remove from heat; cover and let stand for 2 days; again bring to a boil; boil for 3 minutes; remove the kumquats from the syrup and place into hot, sterilized, glass jars; continue to boil the syrup for another 6-7 minutes and immediately pour into jars, leaving 1/2" head space; seal.
3. Cool and refrigerate or process jars in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.