Hello everyone. This is my first time making a post in this community. I hope you will enjoy reading my blog.
The school year 2024-2025 has just ended, and I need to clean my table and shelf to remove old papers and other items that will not be useful for the next school year.
After an hour, I felt hungry and needed a break for a minute or two, so I took my snacks. I draw bread out from my lunchbox and a bottle of water, only to realize that bread is not that good without a piece of cheese or a peanut butter spread. I stopped eating and continued cleaning my shelf.
I pulled a file of folders when I found out these glass jars were filled with jams and marmalades (a jar of pineapple preserve, a glass of guava jam, pineapple jam, and a jar of marmalade). I forgot to return the output of my students before the last day of class. It was their output during the 3rd Quarter in my subject on Sugar Concentrated Products under Food Processing.
I tried to open a jar of marmalade to check if it was still good to consume. And guess what, it was still good and was best for consumption. I scoop a spoonful of it and spread it on my bread. And yes, its sweet fruity citrus taste was still good as new. The aroma of sweet orange scent goes deep down into my lungs. And I love it.
What makes marmalade more flavorful and more delicious than jams is that the orange peel strips burst into your tongue, giving a unique and distinct taste and aroma, leaving you wanting more.
When you buy marmalades at department stores, a jar would cost you a lot, but making your marmalade at home will be fun, less costly, and of course, you can adjust the ingredients according to your preferences. Take note, you can make your marmalade using three ingredients only. I would like to share with you the recipe on how to make your marmalade at home.
Ingredients:
5 ripe oranges
4 cups water
6 cups sugar
Steps:
- Gather all the ingredients.
- Using a sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife, remove the brightly colored zest from the oranges.
- Chop the zest. Keep bigger pieces for a chunkier marmalade, and ribbon-like strips for a more spreadable result. Set the zest aside.
- Cut the oranges into slices. Remove seeds and white piths.
- Combine the zest, fruit, juice, 4 cups of water, and 6 cups of sugar in a large, heavy pot and bring to a boil. Stir just until the sugar dissolves, then stop stirring.
- Bring the marmalade to 220°F and hold it there until it is reduced and in a thick consistency. Be patient, this can take quite a while.
- Take the marmalade off the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Set up 3 sterilized pint jars with sealable lids next to the pot.
- Stir the marmalade to distribute the zest evenly in the mixture. Use a ladle to transfer the marmalade into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top of each jar.
- Half-seal and dip into boiling water for ten minutes, and fully seal once it is a bit cooler.
The marmalade will last a year if left unopened. Put it in the refrigerator once the glass jar is opened.
I enjoyed my bread spread with marmalade. Enjoy yours too.
Thank you for reading.