Lemon Marmalade
Submitted by sreeners
Traditional lemon marmalade with just two ingredients: thinly sliced lemons and sugar. Bittersweet, glossy, and laced with suspended citrus peel. A classic breakfast preserve.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
8 hrsCOOK
30 minREADY
9 hrsTwo-ingredient lemon marmalade at its most classic: paper-thin slices of lemon softened overnight in water, then cooked down with equal-volume sugar into a glossy, bittersweet preserve flecked with suspended peel. No commercial pectin, no shortcuts.
The seeds do the pectin work. Tie them in cheesecloth and drop the bag into the overnight soak, which is what pulls natural pectin out of the seeds and into the liquid. This is the same technique British marmalade cooks have used for centuries, and it is the reason this recipe sets without added pectin.
The overnight soak also softens the lemon peel, which would otherwise stay tough and chewy even after hours of cooking. Slice lemons as thin as possible, a mandoline helps, and discard the ends.
The gel test is the moment of truth. A drop of marmalade on a chilled saucer should wrinkle when pushed with a finger, or just barely run when tipped. If it runs freely, keep cooking and test again every few minutes. 220°F (104°C) on a thermometer is the target.
Chef Tips
- Use unwaxed organic lemons if possible, the peel goes in the jar.
- Cook in a wide shallow pan, narrow deep pots trap steam and slow evaporation.
- Skim foam religiously during the boil for a clear, glossy preserve.
- Sterilize jars in a 250°F (120°C) oven while the marmalade cooks, hot marmalade into hot jars prevents cracking.
Variations
- Add a split vanilla bean or a cinnamon stick during cooking for spiced marmalade.
- Stir in a splash of whiskey or Grand Marnier off the heat for adult breakfast toast.
- Mix Meyer lemons with regular lemons for a softer, sweeter result.
Ingredients
Directions
Slice the lemons as thin as possible.
Discard ends.
Remove all seeds and tie them in a square of doubled cheesecloth.
Put lemons and seed bag in a nonreactive bowl with enough water to cover.
Let stand overnight.
Measure the lemons and water into a wide, shallow, nonreactive pan.
Add an equal volume of sugar and cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved.
Raise heat to medium-high and cook, stirring frequently and skimming off the foam as it rises, until temperature reaches 220 degrees F, about ½ hour.
Remove marmalade from heat.
To test for consistency, drop a little marmalade on a saucer and put the saucer into the freezer until marmalade is cold, about 5 minutes.
Tip the saucer: the marmalade should just barely run.
If too thin, return the marmalade to medium-high heat and cook, testing often, until it has reached the right consistency.
Put marmalade into hot, sterilized pint or half-pint jars.
Store in refrigerator up to 1 month or, for longer storage, seal according to reliable canning instructions.
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