How to Make Marmalade – with 21 recipes
Marmalade is a preserve that is nearly always made from citrus fruits and is most commonly seen on the breakfast table. At one time, marmalade was made from a variety of fruits, but nowadays other fruits are only used in recipes which combine them with citrus fruits. The method and equipment used for making marmalade is very similar to that used for jam but with a few special points to remember.
The Fruit
Seville or bitter oranges make the best marmalades with a pleasing flavour and appearance. Sweet oranges make marmalade that is rather cloudy and the pith does not turn as translucent as that of Seville oranges. Sweet oranges are usually only used in combination with other citrus fruits.
The best time to make marmalade is in January and February when Seville oranges are available. Fortunately, it is possible to freeze Seville oranges. Freeze the oranges whole, but after a few months the pectin level will fall slightly. To compensate for this, add one-eighth more fruit to the recipe.
Making Marmalade
Preparing the fruit: The peel of citrus fruits is tougher than that of most fruits used for jam-making and must therefore be evenly shredded, either by hand or in the slicer attachment of a food mixer, or in a food processor. You can choose the thickness of peel that you prefer. Do not use a coarse mincer to cut up the peel as it produces a paste-like marmalade. If you are making a very large quantity of marmalade, however, it may be a good idea to mince half the peel by machine and cut the remainder by hand.
There are several methods of preparing and softening the fruit, each resulting in a different type of marmalade, such as coarse-cut, thin-cut and fine shred jelly marmalade. The method you choose for peeling and preparing the fruit depends on the recipe you are using and precise instructions are given. It is sometimes suggested that the peel should be cut up and soaked in water overnight to help soften it. However, soaking is not essential and the long, first cooking stage is usually sufficient. Sometimes it may be more convenient to prepare the fruit one day and make the marmalade the next day, in which case the peel should be left in water overnight to prevent it drying out.
First cooking: Cooking times required for marmalades are usually much longer than for jams – at least 1 hour and very often 2-3 hours. Consequently, larger quantities of water are needed to allow for evaporation. The purpose of the first cooking stage is to extract the pectin, reduce the contents of the pan by about half and to soften the peel. Once the sugar is added, the peel won’t tenderise any further, so it is essential that it is soft and that the pith is almost opaque before any sugar is poured in. Failure to do this is one of the most common reasons for marmalade not setting. You can shorten the cooking time by using a pressure cooker. If you wish to double the recipe quantities, it may be necessary to adjust the cooking time and to use an extra-large pan.
Extracting the pectin: Much of the pectin in oranges is contained in the pips and membranes, and it is important that it is all extracted. Put all the pips, and any membrane that has come away from the peel during squeezing, in a clean piece of muslin. If you haven’t got any muslin, improvise by using an old, large, clean handkerchief Tie the muslin or handkerchief in a bundle with a long piece of string, then tie the string to the handle of the pan so that the bundle hangs down into the marmalade and can easily be removed after cooking. Cook this with the fruit for the first cooking, then take it out, squeezing it as much as possible and letting the pulpy juice run back into the pan. A good way to do this is to press the bag in a nylon sieve with the back of a wooden spoon. Discard the contents of the muslin bag.
Second cooking: The sugar is added at the beginning of the second cooking stage and stirred in until it dissolves. The marmalade is then boiled rapidly for 15-20 minutes or until setting point is reached. Prolonged boiling after the addition of sugar gives marmalade a dark colour. Test for a set in the same way as for jams, then skim the marmalade with a slotted spoon to remove any scum. We advise using granulated sugar for marmalade-making, unless you are planning to show your marmalade, in which case a clearer marmalade can be made using preserving sugar. First, place the sugar in a bowl and warm gently in a low oven before adding to the fruit. This helps it to dissolve more quickly and also prevents the temperature of the fruit from falling drastically, which would increase the cooking/boiling time. Long boiling can impair the flavour.
Potting and covering: Marmalades should be potted and covered in the same way as jam. Leave the marmalade to stand for 10-15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel before potting.
Pressure Cooking Marmalade
Follow the instructions given for jam, but add only a quarter of the amount of water required in the recipe when the fruit is cooked under pressure. More water is added with the sugar. Cook citrus fruits for 20 minutes at medium (10 lb) pressure. Marmalades can also be cooked at high (15 lb) pressure as citrus fruits are rich in pectin. Check in your cooker manufacturer’s handbook.
Marmalade Recipes
Seville Orange Marmalade
1.4 kg (3 lb) Seville oranges, washed
juice of 2 lemons
2.7 kg (6 lb} sugar
Halve the oranges and squeeze out the juice and pips. Tie the pips, and any extra membrane that has come away during squeezing, in a piece of muslin. Slice the orange peel thinly or thickly, as preferred, and put it in a preserving pan with the fruit juices, muslin bag and 3.4 litres (6 pints) water. Simmer gently for about 2 hours or until the peel is really soft and the liquid reduced by about half. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing it well and allowing the juice to run back into the pan. Add the sugar. Heat gently, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, then pot and cover in the usual way.
Seville orange Marmalade (whole fruit method)
As an alternative method, place the whole washed fruit in a saucepan with 3.4 litres (6 pints) water. Cover and simmer gently for about 2 hours or until a fork will pierce the peel easily. Remove the fruit from the pan and leave to cool a little, then cut it up, thinly or thickly, with a knife and fork. Save the pips and tie them in a piece of muslin. Put the muslin bag in the liquid in the saucepan, add the lemon juice and boil for 5 minutes. Weigh a preserving pan, put the fruit in it, add the liquid from the saucepan, discarding the muslin bag, and boil of the excess liquid until the contents weigh 2 kg (4 1/2 lb). Add the sugar, stirring until it has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir gently to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Whisky marmalade
Follow the recipe for Seville orange marmalade. When setting point is reached, remove any scum with a slotted spoon, then stir in 150 ml (1/4 pint) whisky. Leave to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Dark Chunky Marmalade (1)
Follow the recipe for Seville orange marmalade. Cut the peel into thick slices. When the sugar is added, stir until it has dissolved, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for a further 1 1/2 hours or until the colour of the marmalade has darkened and setting point is reached. Remove any scum, then pot and cover in the usual way.
Dark Chunky marmalade (2)
Follow the recipe for Seville orange marmalade. Cut the peel into thick slices. Either replace the white sugar with the same quantity of demerara sugar, or stir in 30 ml (2 tbsp) black treacle with the white sugar.
Quick Seville Orange Marmalade
900g (2 lb) Seville oranges
2 kg (4.4 lb) Sugar with Pectin
Scrub the oranges, but do not peel. Cut up the oranges roughly, discarding the pips, then mince into a large bowl. Add 1.6 litres (2 3/4 pints) water and leave to soak overnight. Transfer the contents of the bowl to a preserving pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 1 hour. Add the sugar and heat gently, stirring, until it has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 4 minutes or until setting point is reached. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute the peel, then pot and cover in the usual way.
Oxford Marmalade
1.4 kg (3 lb) Seville oranges
2.7 kg (6 lb) sugar
Peel the oranges. Cut the peel into strips and the fruit into small pieces, reserving the pips. Put the pips into a small bowl. Put the strips of peel and chopped flesh into a large bowl. Bring 3.4 litres (6 pints) water to the boil and pour 600 ml (1 pint) over the pips and the remainder over the orange peel and flesh. Cover and leave for several hours or overnight. The next day, the pips will be covered with a soft transparent jelly which must be washed off into the orange peel and flesh. To do this, lift the pips out of the water with a slotted spoon and put them in a nylon sieve. Pour the water the pips were soaking in over the pips into the large bowl. Repeat the process, using water from the large bowl. Discard the pips. Transfer the orange peel, flesh and water to a preserving pan and boil until the peel is very soft — the longer this mixture boils the darker the marmalade will be. When the peel is quite soft, remove the pan from the heat and add the sugar, stirring until it has dissolved. Bring to the boil again and boil very gently until the marmalade is as dark as you like it, then boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Bitter Chunky Marmalade
3 large sweet (or Seville) oranges (about 900 g/2 lb)
2 large lemons (about 450g/1 lb)
900g (2 lb) sugar
900g (2 lb) demerara sugar
15 ml (1 tbsp) black treacle
Wash the fruit well, then squeeze to obtain the juice. Remove excess membranes and reserve with the pips. Strain the juice. Cut the citrus peel into short 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick strips. Put in a preserving pan with the fruit juices and 2.3 litres (4 pints) water. Tie the pips and any spare membranes in a piece of muslin and add to the pan. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 2-3 hours or until the peel is very so& and the liquid reduced by half. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing well to extract all the juices. Stir in the sugar and treacle. Heat gently, stirring, until all the sugar has completely dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon. Leave the marmalade to cool slightly, then stir to distribute the fruit evenly through the jelly. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Ginger Marmalade
450g (1 lb} Seville oranges, washed
1.4 kg (3 lb) cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
3 kg (6 1/2 lb) sugar
225 g (8 oz) preserved ginger, diced
20 ml (4 tsp) ground ginger
Peel the oranges and shred the peel finely. Roughly chop the oranges, removing and reserving any tough membrane, pith, pips and juice, Tie the membrane, pith and pips in a piece of muslin. Put the peel, chopped orange, juice, muslin bag and 2.8 litres (5 pints) water in a preserving pan and simmer for about l’/2 hours or until the peel is soft and the contents of the pan reduced by half Remove the muslin bag, squeezing well and allowing the juice to run back into the pan. Put the apples in a saucepan with 150 ml (1/4 pint) water and simmer gently until the fruit is soft and pulped. Combine the apples with the oranges in the preserving pan, add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Add the preserved ginger and ground ginger, bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel and ginger. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Pressure-Cooked Marmalade
1.4 kg (3 lb) Seville oranges, washed
juice of 2 lemons
2.7 kg (6 lb) sugar
Halve the oranges and squeeze out the juice, reserving the pips and pulp. Tie the pips and pulp in a piece of muslin. Slice the orange peel thinly and place in a pressure cooker with the fruit juices, 900 ml (1 1/2 pints) water and the muslin bag. Bring to medium (10 lb) pressure and cook for 20 minutes until the peel is soft. Leave the pan to cool at room temperature until the pressure is reduced. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing it well and allowing the juice to run back into the cooker. Add 900 ml (1 1/2 pints) water and the sugar and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for 15 minutes, then stir gently to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Three Fruit and Ginger Marmalade
4 Seville oranges, washed
2 sweet oranges, washed
2 lemons, washed
225 g (8 oz) preserved ginger
2.3 kg (5 lb) sugar
Pare the rinds from the fruit as thinly as possible, using a sharp knife or potato peeler, and cut the rind into thin shreds. Squeeze the juice out of the fruit, reserving the pips. Tie the remaining pith and the pips in a piece of muslin. Cut the ginger into small strips. Put the shredded rind, juice, ginger and muslin bag in a preserving pan and add 3.4 litres (6 pints) water. Simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours or until tender. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing well to remove as much juice as possible. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10-15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Sweet Orange and Lemon Marmalade
2 sweet oranges, washed and thinly sliced
3 lemons, washed and thinly sliced
900g (2 lb) sugar
Remove all the pips from the fruit and tie them in a piece of muslin. Put the fruit and muslin bag in a preserving pan with 1.4 litres (2*/2 pints) water and simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours or until the contents of the pan have reduced by about half. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing it well and allowing the juice to run back into the pan. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 10 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for 15 minutes, then stir gently to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Orange Shred Marmalade
900 g (2 lb) Seville oranges, washed
juice of 2 lemons
1.4 kg (3 lb) sugar
Pare off enough rind from the oranges, avoiding the pith, to weigh 100 g (4 oz). Cut the rind into thin strips. 2 Cut up the remaining fruit and put in a preserving pan with the lemon juice and 1.4 litres (2 1/2 pints) water. Simmer for about 2 hours or until the fruit is really soft. Put the shredded rind in a saucepan with 600 ml (1 pint) water, cover and simmer gently until this also is very soft. Drain off the liquid from the shreds and add them to the fruit in the other pan. Pour the contents of the pan into a jelly bag or cloth attached to the legs of an upturned stool, and leave to strain into a large bowl for 15 minutes. Return the pulp in the jelly bag to the preserving pan with 600 ml (1 pint) water. Simmer for a further 20 minutes, then pour into the jelly bag again and leave to strain for several hours. Combine the two lots of extract and test for pectin. If the liquid does not clot, reduce it slightly by rapid boiling, then test again. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Add the orange peel shreds from the jelly bag and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Lemon Shred Marmalade
Follow the recipe above but substitute 900 g (2 lb) lemons for the oranges.
Lemon Marmalade
1.4 kg (3 lb) ripe, juicy lemons, washed
2.7 kg (6 lb) sugar
For this recipe, weigh the empty preserving pan before you start. Halve the lemons and squeeze out the juice and pips. Cut each ‘cap’ of peel in half and, with a sharp knife, remove the membrane and some of the pith from the peel. Tie the membrane, pith and pips in a piece of muslin. Slice the peel to the desired thickness and put it in a preserving pan with the juice, muslin bag and 3.4 litres (6 pints) water. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 2 hours or until the peel is soft and the contents of the pan reduced by half. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing out as much juice as possible. The contents o fthe pan should have reduced to 2 kg (4 1/2 lb). Add the sugar, stir until dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Lime Marmalade
700g (1 1/2 lb) limes, washed
1.4 kg (3 lb) sugar
For this recipe, weigh the empty preserving pan or saucepan before you start. Put the limes in a preserving pan or large saucepan and add 1.7 litres (3 pints) water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours or until the fruit is very soft. Remove the fruit from the pan with a slotted spoon and slice very thinly (using a knife and fork), discarding the pips and reserving any juice. Return the sliced fruit and juice to the pan and weigh it. lf necessary, boil the mixture again until reduced to about 1.1 kg (2 1/2 lb). Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for about 15 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir gently to distribute the fruit. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Grapefruit Marmalade
2 large grapefruit (about 900g/2 lb), washed
4-5 lemons (about 450g/1 lb), washed
1.4 kg (3 lb) sugar
Pare the rinds from the grapefruit and lemons as thinly as possible, using a sharp knife or potato peeler, and shred finely. Remove the pith from the fruits and roughly cut up the flesh, removing and reserving any pips and saving the juice. Tie the pith and pips in a piece of muslin and put the rind, fruit, juice and 1.7 litres (3 pints) water in a preserving pan with the muslin bag. Simmer gently for about 1 1/2 hours or until the peel is very so& and the contents of the pan reduced by half. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing it well and allowing the juice to run back into the pan. Add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 15-20 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Four Fruit Processor Marmalade
1 grapfruit (about 350g/12 oz)
2 large sweet oranges (about 700 g/ 1 1/2 lb)
2 large lemons (about 450g/1 lb)
350 g (12 oz) cooking apples
1.4 kg (3 lb) sugar
Wash all the fruit well. Quarter the citrus fruit and cut each quarter across into three pieces. Slice very thinly by hand with a sharp knife, or using the slicing disc of a food processor. Reserve the pips. Peel, quartet and core the apples. Reserve the peel and thinly slice the flesh. Tie the pips, apple peel and cores in a piece of muslin. Put all the sliced fruit in a preserving pan and add 2 litres (3 1/2 pints) water and the muslin bag. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for about 2 hours or until the peel is very soft and the contents of the pan reduced by half Stir occasionally. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing it well and allowing the juice to run back into the pan. Add the sugar to the pan, stirring until it has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 8-10 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, leave the marmalade to stand for about 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way.
Diabetic Marmalade
3 large oranges, washed
3 lemons, washed
900g (2 lb) Sorbitol powder
227-ml (8 fl oz) bottle of commercial pectin
Pare the rinds from the oranges and lemons as thinly as possible, using a sharp knife or a potato peeler, and shred the rind very finely. Halve the oranges and lemons and squeeze out the juice and pips. Tie the pips and pith in a piece of muslin. Put the fruit juices, shredded rind, muslin bag and 1.1 litres (2 pints) water in a preserving pan, bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 1—1 1/2 hours or until the rind is soft and the contents of the pan reduced by half. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing it well and allowing the juice to run back into the pan. Add the Sorbitol powder and stir until it has dissolved, then bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the pectin. Boil for a further minute, then take the pan off the heat and remove any scum with a slotted spoon. Leave the marmalade to cool for 15 minutes, then stir to distribute the peel. Pot and cover in the usual way. Small jars are recommended as the marmalade will not keep for long.
Lemon Rhubarb Marmalade
2 lemons, washed
2 Seville oranges, washed
1.4 leg (3 lb) rhubarb, trimmed and washed
7 g (1/4 oz) tartaric add
1.4 kg (3 lb) sugar
Pare the rinds from the lemons and oranges as thinly as possible, using a sharp knife or potato peeler, and shred the rind very finely. Halve the fruit and squeeze out the juice, discarding the pips. Cut the pith up fairly finely and tie in a piece of muslin. Put the muslin bag, fruit juice and shredded rind in a preserving pan with 600 ml (1 pint) water and leave to soak overnight. Next day, bring the pan contents to the boil and simmer for 1-1 1/2 hours or until the rind is soft and the contents of the pan reduced by half Press the bag of pith occasionally to squeeze out as much pectin as possible. Meanwhile, cut the rhubarb into neat pieces. Add to the pan with a further 300 ml (1/2 pint) water and the tartaric acid. Cook gently, stirring, until the fruit becomes a thick pulp. Remove the muslin bag, squeezing it well and allowing the juice to run back into the pan. Add the sugar to the pan and stir until dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for about 10 minutes or until setting point is reached. Remove any scum with a slotted spoon, then pot and cover in the usual way.
Introduction to Jam Making and Preserving
Lemon Curd
Homemade Jam
Homemade Jellies
Homemade Pickles
Homemade chutney
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