Homemade marmalade help

[Aberdeenplotter]

yup it's normally shortly after the GR closes

[boatsman]

You should try using lemons or grapefruit for marmalade instead of the bitter Seville oranges. The last batch of lemon/lime marmalade I made recently (see post #13) turned out well, although at the time I thought it wouldn't set properly. It was a bit chunky though because although I had sliced up the crystallized ginger it still swelled up with the boiling; it tastes OK anyway.

[Thelma Sanders]

Thanks everyone - I reboiled this with a bit of added lemon juice and it set perfectly. Lesson learned... be more patient! Having said that I won't be making marmalade again - far too much of a faff!!

I cheat and use the tins of Mamade prepared oranges It means I can make it all year round if I start to run out......that's my excuse anyway!

[kimble]

I made a batch of calamondin, lemon, and kumquat marmalade last week - I have a small tree of each in big pots and get plenty of fruit, the trees bear so heavily.

The problem is I read on-line adding grapefruit rind to make it bitter worked well - that did not work well for me, gave it a bitterness unlike the pleasant Seville orange kind, with a tiny astringent bit. Never add that again, stick to my fruit.

What I find with my fruits is it jells poorly, I have to boil it way down to get the wrinkle stage, and it becomes dark with a soft jell still - not nearly as good as my usual, but I will use it, not good enough to give as gifts though. Do not add grapefruit zest - or at least not from the one I used.

But it has a very good citrus depth of flavor, and the kumquats make for lovely peel bits. I use a lot of marmalade in cooking as well as on toast. Mixed with mustard, from yellow to the stronger kinds, it makes a nice glaze for baked pork chops or chicken breast. I also put a bit in curries and various things.