Three Fruit Marmalade Recipes

Steps:

• Scrub the fruit, and dry. Using a zester, remove the peel (from all three), being careful not to get any pith. If you do not have a zester, use a vegetable peeler, being careful to remove *only* the zest. Then, using a sharp knife, or shears, cut the peel into fine strips. I have also grated the peel, but it doesn't look as pretty.
• Place the zest in a small saucepan with the water and the baking soda, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
• In the meantime, slice the top and bottom of each fruit, so that it sits flat on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife and following the contour of the fruit, cut away all the pith, leaving only the pulp.
• While holding the fruit over a bowl (to catch all the juices), use the knife to cut out the flesh, leaving the membrane. Remember, it's the pith and the membrane that make marmalade bitter.
• Add the pulp and juice to the simmering zest (do not drain the zest). Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Measure 3 cups of the mixture and mix it together with the sugar in a large pot.
• Bring to a rapid boil. Stir and boil hard for 1 minute. Immediately remove the pot from the heat.
• Add the pouch of pectin, and stir for 10 minutes. This will cool the mixture slightly and prevent the zest from floating.
• Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

Steps:

• Scrub fruit, place in a large bowl, and cover with boiling water. Let stand 2 minutes, then drain. Remove peel in thin slices with a zester, or cut off with a sharp knife into thicker pieces, as desired. Tie peel in a piece of cheesecloth; set aside.
• Chop remaining pith and fruit into small pieces. You can do this with a food processor, but do not puree.
• Combine chopped fruit, cheesecloth bag, and water in a 4-quart stainless-steel pan. Cover, and simmer 1 1/2 hours over low heat, until reduced by almost half. Remove cheesecloth bag, and set aside.
• Strain contents of pan, pressing to extract liquid. Discard solids, and return liquid to pan. Add sugar and dissolve over low heat. Bring to a boil. Add peel from cheesecloth, and simmer over medium heat, until mixture reaches 221 degrees on a candy thermometer or falls in sheets from a spoon, 10 to 30 minutes.
• Store the marmalade in jars in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.

Steps:

• Finely grate peel from orange; peel and section the fruit. Place peel and sections in a Dutch oven. Add peaches and pears. Stir in pectin. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar; return to a full rolling boil. Boil and stir 1 minute. , Remove from heat; skim off foam. Ladle hot mixture into eight hot half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding hot mixture. Wipe rims. Center lids on jars; screw on bands until fingertip tight., Place jars into canner with simmering water, ensuring that they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil; process for 10 minutes. Remove jars and cool.

Steps:

• Remove seeds from fruits. Put through food grinder. Measure and put into large saucepan.
• For each 1 cup pulp, add 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Simmer for 20 minutes. Boil rapidly, stirring 2 or 3 times, for 20 minutes. Measure quantity.
• To each 1 cup pulp, add 1 1/2 cups sugar. Return to a boil, stirring.
• Boil rapidly until thickened and a small amount cooled on a chilled saucer jells. This will take about 20 minutes.
• Pour into hot sterilized half pint jars to within 1/4 inch of the top. Place sterilized metal lids on jars and screw metal bands on securely. For added assurance against spoilage, you may choose to process in boiling water bath for 5 minutes.

Steps:

• Cut the citrus: Using a sharp knife, slice off the top and bottom of the citrus so it sits sturdily on the cutting board. Slice off the peel and white pith in sections, starting at the top and following the curve of the fruit. (You should have a pile of peels and a few naked fruit.)
• Thinly slice the peels (with the pith) no thinner than 1/8 inch and no thicker than 1/4 inch, place them in a large bowl and set aside.
• Halve the fruit and remove any visible seeds. Thinly slice about 1/4-inch thick (white membrane and all), removing any seeds you might have missed. Add the fruit to the peels, and cover with 3 to 5 cups of water, taking note of how much water you used. Let this sit for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. (This will help extract the pectin slowly as well as soften the peels.)
• Make the marmalade: Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• Place the peels, fruit and water in a large pot. Add enough water to bring the total to 6 cups and bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat.
• Cook the citrus until the peels have begun to soften and turn translucent, and the liquid has reduced by about three-fourths, 40 to 50 minutes.
• Add sugar and any add-ins and continue to cook, stirring occasionally at first, then more frequently as the marmalade cooks and the juices thicken. Continue until most of the liquid has evaporated and the peels are totally softened and almost completely translucent, another 40 to 50 minutes.
• As the marmalade cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles: This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate at the bottom of the pot, making the fruit more likely to burn.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the marmalade reaches this point, add lemon juice and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. At this stage, the mixture should look thick and viscous with bits of the peel floating around. The peels will never break into the liquid as with a jam: This is O.K.
• To test the jam's thickness, spoon a bit onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it's not there yet, cook it for a few more minutes.
• Remove from heat and discard the vanilla bean, if used. Divide among jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space at the top, and seal immediately. Can the marmalade (our How to Make Jam guide has detailed instruction), or store in the refrigerator.