This easy three-ingredient recipe is all you need to makelemon marmaladefrom scratch. Although this recipe is simple, it does require hoursto complete, so make sure to plan ahead. Lemons, water, and sugar are cooked together to create this beloved British breakfast spread. Almost the whole fruit is used—minus the pith and the seeds—to create a transparent jam-like consistency that is both sweet and slightly bitter.
Although a little bitterness is typical, you want to be sure to remove all of the white pith from the rind so that the spread is not overwhelmingly so. Then plan for hours in the refrigerator and a few hours on the stovetop before canning. Enjoy this lemon marmalade with your breakfast toast but feel free to incorporate it into recipes calling for sweet lemon flavor as well.
This recipe comes from "Country Living Country Mornings Cookbook" by Lucy Wing (Hearst Books, 1989).
10 large lemons, washed
4 cups water
4 cups sugar
Gather the ingredients.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the yellow part of the lemon peel in strips. Cut strips into 1 x 1/8-inch pieces.
With a knife, cut off any remaining white membrane, or pith, from peeled lemons.
Cut peeled lemons crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
In aheavy, non-aluminum 5-quartkettle or Dutch oven, combine lemon peel, sliced fruit, and water. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
Place lemon mixture over high heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until lemon mixture is soft, about 1hour.
Add sugar to lemon mixture and increase heat to medium-high; stir until sugar dissolves.
Heat to boiling and reduce heat just so mixture boils gently. Boil uncovered, stirring frequently, until a candy thermometer registers 220F, or 45 to 60 minutes have passed, and mixture has thickened.
Prepare 3 (1-pint) canning jars with their lids and bands for processing,following manufacturer's directions.
Spoon marmalade into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch space at the top of the jars.
Wipe jar rims clean. Seal with lids and bands.
Process jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Cool jars on a wire rack. Label and store in a cool, dry place.
Tips
- Because the entire lemon is used, it is best to buy organic, or if you're lucky enough, use homegrown. Commercially sold lemons can have a waxy coating and may have been sprayed with pesticides. At the very least, wash the lemons well before peeling.
- Although you may be tempted to reduce the amount of sugar, it's important that you use the full amount as the sugar assists in the consistency and prevents mold from forming.
- Be sure to use a large pot. When the sugar is added, the mixture will boil up and can overflow if the pot is too small.
The Decline of Marmalade Production
Learning to make homemade marmalade is a usefulskill, as sales of the spread have dipped. Some marmalade manufacturers have gone out of business, and in Britain, where the preserve is traditionally most popular, younger people don't eat it nearly as much as the over-45 crowd does. This trend is not only rooted in generational differences in taste but also that breakfast is no longer as widely eaten as it once was.
As breakfast declines in popularity, the jams and spreads served with it no longer have the same hold on culinary traditions as they did previously.One way manufacturers are trying to tap into the younger market is by offering marmalade in new flavors. (Orange marmalade is the flavor that has traditionally been served in the United States and the United Kingdom.)By learning to make your own marmalade, you can enjoy any flavor at any time.
How do I know when the marmalade is ready?
If you don't have a candy thermometer, there are a few ways to tell if the marmalade has set.
- The wrinkle plate test: Place a few small plates in the freezer. Put a dollop of marmalade on a cold plate and push it with your finger; if it wrinkles, the marmalade has set properly. If it is runny, it still needs time to cook.
- The appearance of the bubbles: While the marmalade is boiling at the beginning of the process, the bubbles should pop as soon as they hit the surface, but as it thickens, the bubbles will become more stable.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) |
|---|
| 89 | Calories |
| 0g | Fat |
| 23g | Carbs |
| 0g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
×
| Nutrition Facts |
|---|
| Servings: 48 |
|---|
| Amount per serving |
| Calories | 89 |
| % Daily Value* |
| Total Fat 0g | 0% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 2mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 23g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber 1g | 4% |
| Total Sugars 20g |
| Protein 0g |
| Vitamin C 22mg | 112% |
| Calcium 10mg | 1% |
| Iron 0mg | 1% |
| Potassium 96mg | 2% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- lemon
- lemon marmalade
- brunch
- american
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FAQs
Soak the citrus peel: Soaking the citrus peel in water overnight can help to reduce the bitterness. Change the water a few times to remove any bitter compounds. Add sugar: Sugar can help to balance out the bitterness in the marmalade.
What makes a good marmalade? ›
'Best' marmalade should be filled with perfectly uniform shreds, and these take time to slice, so pop on the radio and chop with patience. The peel also needs to be very soft before pouring in the sugar as it will not soften any more after the sugar is added.
Why won't my lemon marmalade set? ›
It sounds like you have over boiled it. If you cook it for too long at a high temperature, the natural pectin breaks down and no longer acts as a setting agent and the sugar polymerises into toffee. The way to make any set jam or marmalade is to simmer the fruit gently until it develops your desired level of softness.
Why add lemon juice to marmalade? ›
Adding acid in the form of fresh lemon or lime juice is important for two reasons: First, it makes for a more well-balanced jam, returning some of the acidity lost with the addition of sugar. Second, pectin needs acid to properly activate, or firm up.
What cuts bitterness in marmalade? ›
If the aftertaste is too bitter and you can't remove the bitterness from the jam, prick the oranges and boil them for about 40 minutes, drain and cover with cold water. Soak them for 12-15 hours and change the water from time to time.
How do you make marmalade that isn't bitter? ›
Blanch the oranges
After pricking the oranges with a fork, soak them for three days in a large pot full of water to be changed every morning and every evening. By doing this, the oranges will lose its bitter taste and it will be possible to make the jam without discarding the peels.
Do you stir marmalade while boiling? ›
Increase the heat and bring up to the boil but do not stir while the marmalade is boiling. After about 5 mins the marmalade will start to rise up the pan (it may drop back and then rise again) and larger bubbles will cover the surface.
Which sugar is best for marmalade? ›
Caster sugar is the one to avoid. The crystals are too fine, which is great for baking but they will dissolve too quickly when making marmalade. Granulated sugar is a good choice. The large crystals will dissolve quickly and cleanly, resulting in a clear, amber liquid that best shows off your perfectly floating peel.
Why put butter in marmalade? ›
To prevent scum forming on the top of your jam, add a knob of butter to your fruit at the same time as you add the sugar, we recommend 20 grams per 1 kilogram of fruit. Note: Scum is nothing sinister, it is only air bubbles that are created during the cooking process, they will not ruin your jam/marmalade if they form.
Why did my lemon marmalade turn brown? ›
Otherwise, you may overcook your marmalade. Don't let the marmalade turn brown: If the marmalade is turning brown while you are cooking it, you are likely overcooking it and the sugars are beginning to caramelize.
How do you fix runny marmalade? Runny may mean not enough pectin. You could Try boiling to get it thicker. If that doesn't work try adding a small amount of sugar if it's not too sweet.
What happens if you don't put enough sugar in marmalade? ›
Reducing the sugar in the recipe means a slacker, not set consistency and the marmalade could have a shorter shelf life.
Can you use bottled lemon juice to set jam? ›
By using bottled juice, you ensure that your preserves have a consistent level of acidity, which makes them safe for canning. And when making jams or jellies, the degree of acidity in any citrus juice added affects the natural fruit pectin's ability to gel.
What does baking soda do to marmalade? ›
Baking soda is slightly alkaline and helps to break down the peels, shortening the time it takes to cook and soften them. You do not have to use it to make good marmalade, but it helps shorten the cooking process.
Can I use bottled lemon juice in jam making? ›
Lemons vary in ripeness and therefore the amount of acid might not be adequate for the jam to achieve the proper set. The best way to ensure you are adding enough acid is to go with a commercial bottled lemon juice because these are controlled and standardized, so the acid content is assured and more reliable.
What cuts the bitterness of lemon? ›
The secret ingredient is salt, which removes any bitterness.
What neutralizes lemon taste? ›
One of the easiest ways to cut the lemon taste is to balance it with sweetness. Adding a touch of sugar or sweetener can help neutralize the acidity and bring out the natural flavors of lemon. You can try adding a teaspoon of honey, agave syrup, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar to your lemon-infused dishes or drinks.
How do you make citrus less bitter? ›
Since it's nearly impossible to remove the pith completely, the best way to get the bitter out is blanching the zest three times, by dropping it into boiling water to release the bitterness, then shocking it with ice water to stop the cooking (and repeat, and repeat).
Why add baking soda to marmalade? ›
Baking soda is slightly alkaline and helps to break down the peels, shortening the time it takes to cook and soften them. You do not have to use it to make good marmalade, but it helps shorten the cooking process.
