Fresh Mandarin Orange Marmalade

I don’t make a lot of Jam and Jellies anymore, but when I do it is often out of the cookbook The Complete Book Of Small Batch Preserving, copyright 2001. The recipes are good, the directions clear and they make as the book title states, small batches. This way they get eaten up in a household that doesn’t eat much jelly and jams and I can make a different kind when I want to.  Check this link for the basics.

The recipe I am going to post is for a sweeter marmalade. Of course, now I do not a a jar on hand to take a picture of but it is really quite good for those who do not like the traditional bitter marmalades. Most citrus fruits contain a lot of natural pectin so you do not need to add more. The pectin is right under the peel which is why the oranges are peeled not just the outside taken off.

Fresh Mandarin Orange Marmalade

Makes 2 cups

3 Mandarin or clementine oranges (clementines are readily available most of the year)

1 lemon

1 cup water

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1. Remove peel from oranges and slice thinly. Place in a small stainless steel or enamel saucepan, not aluminum. Remove thin outer rind from lemon with a vegetable peeler and cut into thin strips. A scissors works well to do this or a very sharp knife.

2. Remove and discard white rind and seeds from lemon. Chop orange and lemon pulp finely in a food processor or by hand. Add to saucepan and boil gently for 20 minutes.

3. Add sugar, return to a boil and boil rapidly, uncovered, until mixture will form a gel, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat

4. Ladle into sterilized jars and remove air bubbles from jars. Wipe rims to remove any stickiness. Put on 2 piece sterilized lids. Place jars in canner. Water should cover jars by 1 to 2 inches, Cover pan and return to boil. Began timing when water return to boil. Process for 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner to a towel on a level surface. Let cool for 24 hours. Sealed lids will indent and you might hear them ping.