If you've never had a calamondin orange, don't let its small size fool you. These little citrus fruits are usually only about an inch in diameter, but they're packed with flavor. They have a thin orange peel, plenty of juice, and a wonderfully tart, tangy flavor that's much more intense than a typical sweet orange.
That tartness is exactly what makes calamondins so good for homemade marmalade. When cooked with sugar, their sharp citrus flavor mellows while still keeping enough tang to balance the sweetness. The thin peel also works beautifully in marmalade, adding that slightly bitter citrus flavor that makes a good marmalade different from ordinary jam.
This Calamondin Orange Marmalade is bright, sweet, tart, and full of citrus flavor. I love having jars tucked away in the pantry to spread on toast, biscuits, or English muffins, but it's also delicious spooned over warm scones or used as a glaze for baked goods.
If you're lucky enough to have an abundance of calamondins, making marmalade is a wonderful way to preserve them and enjoy that fresh citrus flavor long after the fruit is gone.
INGREDIENTS
- 40 fresh calamondin oranges
- juice of the calamondin oranges
- equal amount of sugar (see directions)
- 1 ¼ cup water
DIRECTIONS
- Cut each calamondin orange in half and remove the seeds.
- Squeeze the juice into a bowl and set aside.
- Thinly slice each calamondin peel. (Pressing as flat as possible makes it easier.)
- Place the sliced calamondin peel, the water, and the juice into a measuring cup. (You need to measure this so you will know the amount of sugar needed.)
- Pour into a large pot.
- Measure equal amounts of sugar. For example, if you had 2 cups of the peel, water, and juice mixture, you will need 2 cups of sugar and pour into juice mixture.
- Gently bring to a boil, stirring occasionally so the sugar doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the sugar has dissolved turn the heat up to medium high and boil about 20 minutes. (Around 220° if using a thermometer)
- Remove the pot from the heat, ladle the marmalade into jars, and seal.
If Canning: Pour hot marmalade into hot, sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner. Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
MAKING CALAMONDIN ORANGE MARMALADE
- 40 fresh calamondin oranges
- juice of the calamondin oranges
- equal amount of sugar (see directions)
- 1 ¼ cup water
- Cut each calamondin orange in half and remove the seeds.
- Squeeze the juice into a bowl and set aside.
- Thinly slice each calamondin peel. (Pressing as flat as possible makes it easier.)
- Place the sliced calamondin peel, the water, and the juice into a measuring cup. (You need to measure this so you will know the amount of sugar needed.)
- Pour into a large pot.
- Measure equal amounts of sugar. For example, if you had 2 cups of the peel, water, and juice mixture, you will need 2 cups of sugar and pour into juice mixture.
- Gently bring to a boil, stirring occasionally so the sugar doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pan.
- Once the sugar has dissolved turn the heat up to medium high and boil about 20 minutes. (Around 220° if using a thermometer)
- Remove the pot from the heat, ladle the marmalade into jars, and seal.
If Canning: Pour hot marmalade into hot, sterile jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner. Process jars 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.