Orange marmalade
This Orange Marmalade is a bright, bittersweet preserve that perfectly captures the essence of sun-ripened citrus. Unlike store-bought versions, this home-cooked recipe balances a translucent, jewel-like jelly with tender, hand-cut bits of peel for the ultimate texture. Uses a blend of juicy oranges and tart lemon juice, ensuring a natural pectin set without the need for artificial additives. The secret lies in the slow-simmered peels, which soften beautifully to release their essential oils and deep, aromatic oils. A sophisticated balance of sugary sweetness and that signature citrus pith bitterness that cuts through rich buttered toast. A thick, spreadable gold-hued preserve that glows in the jar and elevates any breakfast table or afternoon tea.
Equipment
- 1 citrus juicer
- 1 deep pot
- 1 sharp spoon
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 cold plate kept to chill in the freezer before hand
- 1 500 gms sterilized glass jar
Ingredients
- 7 Kinnow oranges
- 1/2 a lime's juice
- 600 gms sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1/8 tsp all spice powder
Instructions
- Cut all the oranges into two halves. I'm using kinnow oranges here for their juiciness and right amount of sweetness and tartness as required for the recipe.
- Juice two oranges, i.e. 4 halves and keep aside.
- Using a sharp spoon scoop out the pulp of the remaining oranges. Deseed them and chop them into small pieces.
- Take the rind of two halves and with a sharp spoon scrape out the white pith as much as possible.
- Now Cut the rinds into thin juliennes. Boil the juliennes with 2 cups water for 5 mins. Then discard the water and boil them again for 5 more mins with fresh water. Then discard the water and keep aside. This is done to remove the bitterness of the rinds.
- Now combine the juice, pulp, rinds, sugar in a large deep pot in which you will be cooking the marmalade. Make sure you use a deep pot to avoid overflows, as the marmalade will rise as it boils.
- Cover the vessel and let it rest for 15 mins on the countertop. The sugar will cause the oranges to release more juice.
- After 15 mins, put the pot on the stove and keep the flame on high. Put in the cinnamon stick if using one. You can discard the cinnamon after about 1/2 an hour of cooking.
- Once it starts boiling after about 5-10 mins, make the flame medium and add in the juice of 1/2 a lemon. The lemon will add pectin to the jam which will give the jam its body and help it set.
- Continue cooking the marmalade on medium flame for about 50 mins, stirring every 5 mins to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.
- If you are using all spice powder add it in the last 5-10 mins of cooking. Do not dump it in as the jam will be too thick by then and it will not mix evenly in the jam. Take the powder in your palm and sprinkle it evenly over the jam and mix to ensure it homogenizes well with the jam.
- After about 50 mins of cooking do the cold plate test. Drop a little of the jam on a cold plate and wait for about 1/2 a minute. After 1/2 a minute tilt the plate slightly. If the jam doesn't run freely on the plate and creases, the jam is done. You can also run a finger through the middle of the jam. If the two sides remain separated and do not come back together, the jam is ready.
- Switch off the flame and take the pot off the stove. Leave the jam to cool on the counter top for about 15 mins. Do not worry if the marmalade looks a bit loose. It will thicken quite a lot as it cools.
- After 15 mins transfer the jam to a sterilized glass bottle but do not lid it at once. Lid it when it is just warm. .
- You can store it at room temperature or in the fridge. If not storing in the fridge keep in a cool and dark place. The marmalade remains good at room temperature for 2-3 weeks and for months in the fridge.
If by chance you have jacked up your marmalade here's how you can fix it. Transfer the marmalade back to the pot. If its too thick to remove from the jar, place the jar in a pot of hot water for 10-15 mins to loosen the jam a bit. Now bring 1/4th to 1/2 cup water to a boil and add it into the marmalade. Put the marmalade pot back on the stove and keep the flame low. Let the sugar dissolve and homogenize with the water slowly. This will take only about 1-2 mins. Once the jam looks homogenized, immediately remove it from the stove. Continue mixing it on the counter top till all looks even. Leave it to cool for about 5 mins then bottle it. Lid the jar when the marmalade is just warm.
Notes
To sterilize the glass jar, boil it and its lid in water for 5 mins. The bottle and its lid should be completely submerged in the water. After 5 mins remove the bottle and the lid from the water using a tong and place them upside down on the counter top. Let them cool down completely. Do not use a cloth or any another material to dry the sterilized bottle or its lid. Instead let them air dry by themselves.
Its best to do this procedure at least 1 day in advance to ensure you have a sterilized and dry bottle ready for the marmalade day. Happy cooking!