Making Homemade Orange Marmalade

There’s nothing quite like the bright, bittersweet taste of homemade orange marmalade, and it makes an exceptionally kind and tasty gift, especially during the Christmas season. Forget the store-bought jars – this recipe is simple, classic, and adds a personal touch to your holiday gifting.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients You’ll Need

• $4.5 lbs. (or $750 g.) oranges
• $1 vanilla bean, divided in two (or substitute a cinnamon stick)
• $2$ lemons
• $7.875 cups (or $1.75 kg.) sugar
• $4 cups water

(Pro Tip: If you can find them, bitter oranges will add a lovely, complex tanginess to your finished marmalade.)

Instructions for a Perfect Batch

1. Prepare the Fruit: Brush and wash the oranges and lemons very well.
2. Slice: Cut all the fruit in half lengthwise, and then in half lengthwise again. Next, cut the fruit into thin slices across the pieces.
3. Handle the Seeds: Take care to collect all the seeds and tie them securely in a piece of gauze (the seeds contain pectin, which helps the marmalade set).
4. Cook: Place the sliced fruit, the tied seeds, and the water into a heavy-bottomed pan. If using a vanilla bean, add the two halves now. Bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Simmer: Reduce the heat and let the marmalade simmer for approximately one hour, or until the orange rinds are tender.
6. Add Sugar: Remove the vanilla bean pieces or cinnamon stick, if you used them. Stir in the sugar until it is completely dissolved. Return the pot to the heat and cook until the marmalade reaches its setting point.
7. Jar It: Pour the hot marmalade into clean, sterilized glasses or jars. Seal them immediately.
8. Store: Keep the finished marmalade refrigerated or store it in a cool and dark place.

Once cooled, you can tie a festive ribbon around the jar – and just like that, you’ve created a beautiful, heartfelt gift ready for giving!