Citrus Marmalade

Combine fruit peels and 1 ½ quarts of water. Boil 5 minutes and drain.

Add fruit pulp, juice and the remaining 1 ½ quarts of water to the pot; boil 5 minutes.

Cover and let stand 12 to 18 hours.

After 12-18 hours measure the fruit and liquids. Add 1 cup of sugar for each cup of fruit mixture, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.

Bring to a boil on high heat stirring constantly, to avoid boiling over and scorching.

Turn the heat down and continue to cook on a medium heat that sustains a rapid boil until the gel point is reached. If you have a thermometer, when the mixture reaches 220ºF, it has hit the gel point.

If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use the chilled saucer trick like I did when I discovered my rapid read thermometer died while I was making this recipe. Place a glass saucer in the freezer. After 20 minutes of rapid boiling, drip about 1/4 teaspoon of marmalade on the chilled saucer. Return the saucer to the freezer. After 1-2 minutes take the saucer from the freezer and gently push at the edge of the marmalade with your fingertip. If the marmalade wrinkles up along the edge, it has reached the gel stage. If it doesn’t place, the saucer back in the freezer and continue to boil the marmalade, checking for the gel set every 10 minutes or so.

Marmalade is normally a little runnier then I care for so I let mine cook a bit longer and it firmed up very nicely.

Remove from heat and skim any foam that there might be off the top with the edge of a spoon. Ladle into hot jars, leaving ¼ inch head space and wipe the rims clean with a damp paper towel. Place a flat lid on and put the rings on and gently tighten.

Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.