I love to prepare jams at home with seasonal fruits. That too if you prepare without pectin, it is totally guilt free. Use brown sugar if possible – I mean cane sugar which gives caramel taste to the jam. But it won’t go with all fruits. Jaggery – I tried – but not good for jams. Jams and marmalade are same group only. In Marmalade the zest is added and you will feel the fruit bites here and there.

Preparing marmalade at home is a real pleasure. The sweetness of the fruit and the bitterness of the zest – nothing is wasted here. Even the seeds are used for pectin. A very simple recipe here for BC reader. Kids will ask more and they will enjoy their breakfast bread with this without any fuss. I simplified the recipe to save time but the quality and taste is same like original one.

Orange Marmalade

---

Recipe: Orange Marmalade
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cooking Time: 30-40 minutes
Yields: One 500 gms jar
Receipe Level: Easy/Beginner
Recipe/Post by: Viji

---

Ingredients:
2 cups cut orange segments (one lemon included)
2 cups fresh orange juice (one lemon included)
1 cup orange and lemon zest
2 cups sugar

Special Utensils:
Juicer
Dry bottle
Zest peeler
One microwave proof vessel

Orange zest for Orange Marmalade

Procedure:

1. Wash the bottles with hot water, the lid also. Dry them naturally.
2. Depends on the size and juicy nature of oranges you might need 6-8 to make the above quantity. You need 2 big lemons.
3. Take 4 oranges and 1 lemon. Peel the zest with the peeler. Keep aside. Squeeze the juice and collect the seeds in a cheese cloth. This can be used instead of pectin.
4. Take the rest of the 4 oranges and one lemon. Remove the skin and seeds . Cut them into bite sized cubes. Save the juice too.
5. In a bowl, add the juice, cut fruits and sugar. Drop the seeds pack also. Leave it for 2-4 hours.
6. Start cooking in MW high for 20-30 minutes. Till they settle. Remove the seeds bag and throw it. At the end stage, you might feel, it is still watery. But drop a spoon on a plate and keep it in the fridge to test the consistency. It will be sticky and thickened immediately. That’s the correct stage. Normally no spices are added to it.
7. When it is cool enough, scoop it in the cleaned bottles and store. Simply delicious.

---

Special Notes/Tips:

• Use juicy and sweet oranges.
• Don’t use too much zest (skin).