Homemade marmalade includes bits of fruit and peel.
Although marmalade was originally made from quince fruit, it is now made from citrus fruits such as oranges, limes, lemons, grapefruit and clementines. Marmalade is made with only fruit, sugar and water with bits of fruit and peel added, and many recipes rely on natural pectin in the fruit to thicken the spread. The American version of marmalade is sweet, while the English version is bittersweet. There are a variety of ways to make marmalade.
Valencia Oranges
One technique for making homemade marmalade is to stick to Valencia oranges as the main ingredient. Valencia oranges are bitter, lending orange marmalade the tang that makes it a favorite with many. Valencia oranges are also high in natural pectin, which helps the marmalade set up more quickly.
Boil Peel
Although marmalades include peels, if they are not boiled adequately, the peels will be bitter and tough. Boil peels until they are extremely soft, rubbing away to nothing between a finger and thumb. This can be done in a pan with a lid by boiling steadily for two hours, or in a pressure cooker boiled for 10 minutes.
Remove Membranes and Seeds
The white membrane and the seeds in citrus fruits add bitterness to marmalade, so remove them from the fruit before boiling the fruit. However, some cooks recommend preserving the membranes and seeds for the natural pectin found in them. Secure them in a muslin or cheesecloth bag, boil and squeeze out all of the water before discarding the membranes.
Poaching Fruit
Rather than cutting up the fruit and peels before cooking them, some homemade marmalade cooks like to simmer the entire fruit, add sugar, simmer again, then cover the pan tightly for three hours and allow the fruit to "poach" and soften while simmering lightly. Then the cook scrapes the pulp from the oranges and chops the peels and continues with the marmalade.
Tags: natural pectin, bits fruit, bits fruit peel, citrus fruits, fruit peel, fruit sugar