Lemon Marmalade has always been a favourite with my parents, my father in particular. He has been without his homemade breakfast condiment for a few weeks now and has politely let us know that a jar of shop-bought marmalade is not on his agenda.
As fortune would have it, a friend presented me with some beautiful, homegrown lemons and I have set to work. This is a classic method of making marmalade. It requires just three ingredients, and one of them is water. That is all that you need to make this fresh-flavoured condiment.
If you think that making marmalade is difficult, I want to assure you that it is easier than you may think. Although there is a great deal of science involved, it just requires that you follow a few simple steps.
Let me tell you a little about Marmalade:
Marmalade is a favoured preserve on many breakfast tables. It’s easy to appreciate that this zesty, tangy preserve is a great way to start the day.
Marmalade is only made from citrus fruits, unlike jam, which can be made from any variety of fruit. Moreover, citrus fruits are rich in a naturally occurring substance called pectin. High amounts of pectin and acid, such as in citrus, help the marmalade to set, making it ideal for preserving. As such, it is not necessary to buy special jam-setting sugar.
I regard homemade jams and spreads as luxury items. It’s not that they are expensive to make, especially when the fruit is a gift, but there is an investment of time. However, having jars of marmalade that you have made yourself is tremendously satisfying.
The flavours are bright and clear and remember, there are just three ingredients. Compare that with the labels of some commercial varieties which often have a large range of additives.
Ingredients in my Three Ingredient Lemon Marmalade:
Lemons:
Given that we will be using the entire fruit, it is preferable to use home-grown or organic lemons. Commercially produced lemons generally have a wax coating and may have been sprayed with toxic substances.
Sugar:
I use regular, granulated sugar. It is a large amount of sugar but it does much more than sweeten the marmalade. Its main function is to combine with the pectin and fruit acids to form a gel. In addition, it acts as a preservative that inhibits the growth of mould.
I don’t recommend reducing the amount of sugar as it may interfere with the setting and preservation.
Water:
I have used filtered water but regular tap water is also fine.
How to make Three Ingredient Lemon Marmalade:
Making the marmalade is a two-day process. On the first day, you slice the lemons very finely and put them into a large bowl with water to soak overnight. Soaking the fruit serves two purposes.
Firstly, it softens the peel and secondly, it helps release the pectin required for setting the jam. On day two you cook the fruit and add the sugar.
When setting point is reached, as outlined in the recipe instructions, I remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside for 10 minutes. This will help the fruit to settle and evenly distribute when poured into the jars.
Without settling, the fruit will rise to the top of the marmalade. And finally, ladle it into jars and smile with satisfaction at the result.
Tips for success:
You will not need any special equipment to make this recipe. However, a large saucepan is essential. When you add the sugar, it foams up enormously. Without a very large saucepan, there is the risk of it boiling over.
Your jars and their lids must be sterilised. I do this by heating them in the oven as outlined in the recipe.
As we are using the whole fruit, it is best to use organic or home-grown fruit. However, if you are only able to access commercially grown lemons, they need to be thoroughly cleaned.
Always use fruit which is in good condition and ideally some which are slightly under-ripe as they will contain more pectin. Bruised or damaged fruit may spoil the jam, causing it to deteriorate quickly.
It is important to cook the peel until it is tender before you add the sugar. Once you add the sugar the peel will no longer soften. After adding the sugar it is necessary to completely dissolve it before bringing the mixture back to the boil.
I find it best to check for setting point by checking a small amount of marmalade on a chilled plate. I use the “wrinkle” test, as detailed in the recipe. After reaching setting point, set the marmalade aside for 10 minutes to allow the fruit to settle.
Ladle the marmalade into hot jars to avoid the glass breaking.
Other uses for these ingredients:
We love lemons, and some of our other favourite ways to use them are:
- Individual Lemon Curd Meringues
- Classic Lemon Curd
- Gluten-Free Lemon Madeleines
- Belgian Lemon Tea Cake
- Quick and Easy Lemon Ice Cream
More delicious condiments and edible gift ideas:
- Apricot Jam
- Fresh Peach Chutney
- Easy Plum Jam
- Classic Lemon Curd
- Dill Pickled Cucumbers
- Sweet Chilli Sauce
- Balsamic Glaze
- Preserved Chillies in Oil
When it comes to using the Lemon Marmalade:
First and foremost, this bright and zesty condiment with the zingy flavour of lemon is a great wake-up call, perfect when slathered on your morning toast.
However, there are other ways in which to use it:
- A sticky glaze for chicken drumsticks;
- Make a sauce for pork tenderloin;
- Glaze a Christmas ham;
- Make crostini with goat cheese and prosciutto;
- Bake a lemon cake and make a glaze with the marmalade;
- Serve with Coconut Scones by A Baking Journey.
This refreshing condiment highlights the bright, tangy flavours of lemon. Although it is an ideal toast topping there are other ways in which to enjoy this condiment.
When you try it you will realise that there is no comparison between homemade marmalade and the commercially produced varieties.
Do let me know in the comments below when you have tried this delicious recipe.
Alex xx
Three Ingredient Lemon Marmalade
Equipment
- 9 x 250ml Jars
Ingredients
- 500 g (17.5 ounces) lemons See Notes 1 & 2
- 6 cups (1.5 litre) water
- 8 cups (1.8kg) sugar
Instructions
To sterilise the jars:
- Preheat the oven to 130 Degrees C (270F).Use glass jars with an airtight, metal lid. Wash them either in the dishwasher or by hand in hot soapy water, and rinse well. Check that the metal lids do not have rubber inserts. (See Note 9)
- Place upright jars and lids on a baking tray. Heat in the oven for at least 20 minutes, then remove and immediately fill with marmalade.
Marmalade:
- Place 2 saucers or small plates in the freezer, ready to check for the setting point of your marmalade.
- Thoroughly wash the lemons. Remove each end of the lemons and cut the lemons into quarters lengthways. Holding two of the quarters together, slice as thinly as possible and remove any seeds.
- Place the lemon slices in a non-reactive bowl. See Note 3. Add 6 cups of water, cover the bowl and leave the lemons to stand overnight.
- The following day, place the lemons and water into a large, non-reactive saucepan. – See Note 4.
- Over medium-high heat, bring the fruit and water to the boil. Boil for approximately 15 minutes or until the lemon peel is tender, stirring occasionally with a long-handled wooden spoon. – See Note 5. The time may vary slightly depending on the variety of lemon and the thickness of the slices.
- Add the sugar and stir well to dissolve it. After dissolving the sugar, return the fruit to the boil, stir occasionally and skim to remove any foam. Continue to stir until the marmalade reaches setting point, about 20 minutes. – See Note 6Remove from the heat to conduct the wrinkle test. If not set, continue to boil for another 1 minute and then test again.
- To test for setting point, I use the “wrinkle” test. Take one of your saucers from the freezer and pour a small amount of marmalade onto it. Let it cool for a minute then push against the marmalade with the tip of your finger. If the surface wrinkles it means setting point has been reached. Alternatively, if you are not confident checking this way or are not experienced at making marmalade, you can use the fail-safe method of using a jam/candy thermometer which you clip to the side of your saucepan. When attaching your thermometer, make sure that the base is not touching the bottom of the saucepan. Your marmalade has reached setting point when the temperature reaches 104.5 degree C or 220 degrees F. It will still be liquid at this point, and will set as it cools.
- Take the mixture off the heat and let the marmalade stand for about 10 minutes. This will help evenly distribute the fruit throughout the jars.
- Remove your jars from the oven and carefully ladle the marmalade into the heated, sterilised jars. You need to be very careful. Splashing yourself with hot marmalade will result in a very serious burn. I suggest you have clothing with long sleeves and ensure that you do not have children nearby. Put lids on jars immediately, and seal well – being careful to use a cloth or oven gloves to handle the jars/lids.
Video
Notes
- The weight of the lemons, before trimming the ends and removing the seeds, was 530 gm/1.2 lbs.
- As the peel is such an important part of the marmalade, I like to use organic or home-grown lemons. Commercially produced lemons generally have a wax coating and may have been sprayed with toxic substances. If this is all that you can obtain, you can clean the lemons by placing them in a colander and pouring over freshly boiled water. Then, scrub them gently with a nail brush while holding them under cold running water.
- Non-reactive bowls and saucepans are stainless steel, glass, ceramic or enamelled cookware. Aluminium, copper and iron bowls or pans are reactive. Acidic foods, such as lemons, may discolour and take on a metallic taste if these are used.
- A large saucepan is essential. When you add the sugar, it foams up enormously. Without a very large saucepan, there is the risk of it boiling over.
- To stir, use a long-handled wooden spoon. Metal will become dangerously hot.
- Boiling time depends on several factors, the width of your saucepan and the heat at which the fruit is boiled.
- The Marmalade will be shelf stable for approximately 12 months.
- Your marmalade will be very liquid when you add it to the jars so please don’t be concerned. It will continue to thicken as it cools. Leave it for 24-48 hours and then check again. If it is still runny, you can re-boil the marmalade. Empty the contents of the jars back into the saucepan and bring to a boil. To increase the pectin and help the marmalade to set, you can add the juice of half a lemon. Boil for a few minutes and test again.However, if the marmalade was initially boiled too long, it can still result in it not setting as the pectin may have been damaged.
- Properly sterilising your jars is an essential process to remove bacteria which could cause your preserves to spoil. I prefer to sterilise jars in the oven. To do this, preheat your oven to 130 Degrees C (270F). Use glass jars with an airtight, metal lid. If recycling jars, ensure that the jars do not have cracks or chips and the lids are in good condition. Discard any lids that are pitted or rusted. Wash the jars and lids either in the dishwasher or by hand in hot soapy water, and rinse well. Do not dry them with a tea towel. Place upright jars and lids on a baking tray. If you are using kilner jars with rubber seals, be sure to remove the seals before placing the jars in the oven. The dry heat of the oven would damage the seals. Boil the seals separately in a saucepan for about 10 minutes. Heat the jars in the oven for at least 20 minutes. When your preserves are ready to bottle, use thick oven mits or jar tongs to remove the jars. Do not place them on a cold surface as they may shatter. I place mine on a wooden chopping board which I cover with a tea towel. Always sterilise a few more jars than you think you will need. It is better to have too many jars than not enough.
- Please note, the nutritional information is based on one 250ml jar. Please take this into account, as you most likely won’t be consuming a whole jar in one sitting. The nutritional information is an estimate only.
Hi just made a batch of this but it’s not solidifying! Definitely cool now and still liquid. Not set at all. I used a thermometer to get the right temperature! Any idea? Can I thicken it somehow? Thank you
Hi Yvonne,
I was just wondering how long it was since you put the marmalade in the jars?
It can take 24-48 hours for the pectin to set completely.
This is unusual with lemon, however. How long was the fruit boiled for?
When marmalade doesn’t set, this is usually always due to either under or over-boiling.
If in 48 hours it is still runny, we can look at reboiling with some additional lemon juice. This will work only if the marmalade was underboiled in the first case.
My only other thought would be that perhaps the thermometer was not 100% accurate – did you happen to also try with the wrinkle test?
Also, just checking that you used the same amount of sugar, soaked the fruit overnight etc, as per the recipe?
Please feel free to reach out with any queries. Thank you!
Kind regards, Alex
i just finished jarring the marmalade. It is stupendous! Things that might be useful to others: I used a mandoline to cut the lemons, then cut stacks of the slices into quarters which to me was quicker and easier. They were quite thin which was probably why they were very soft in only about 10 minutes. Also, after adding the sugar it only took about 10 minutes to reach 220 F. If appears to have jelled perfectly. It is delicious. And much easier than I thought it would be. I am usually a fail at jelly, jam, marmalade cooking.
So glad you found this recipe nice and simple, Sheila!
Enjoy your marmalade 🙂
So delicious, and couldn’t be easier to make. Will be my go-to recipe from now on.
Thank you so much, Lindsay!
I’m loving this recipe! Your instructions were great and easy to follow! Thank you for this!
Hi Leslie!
Thank you so much!
This is really delicious. I ate it with some roast beef and it was a huge success!
Thank you for your comment! I just love using it with savoury preparations too – I bet it was so good with the roast beef!
We love this recipe, we have a few jars of this now and absolutely love it on our toast in the morning for breakfast and I will say its fantastic on chicken drumsticks as a marinade as you suggested, it was lush 🙂
Hi Luke!
Thank you 🙂 I am so pleased to hear you’re enjoying it – both with your toast and the chicken! Yum! Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know!
Kind regards, Alex
I have made this and it is absolutely the best ever. It is syrupy like a lemon in honey. Wow sooo yum. Can’t wait to make another batch.
Thanks for your help and the recipe Alexandra
Oh thank you so much, Rel! I am so glad you’re enjoying your marmalade so much!
Have you ever wrapped the seeds in cheesecloth and cooked them with the lemons for added pectin? A kumquat jam recipe I made called for keeping the seeds for that reason. It came out beautiful! Soaked the lemons overnight with the seeds wrapped In cheesecloth and about to start the cooking process now! Think I’m going to add some habanero peppers. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Hi Lorraine,
Thanks for your comment!
We have never found the need to do that, as lemons are so high in pectin anyway. This recipe is from my Great Grandma, so I do stick to what she did, but of course, there would be no issue with doing that though.
I hope you’ll enjoy – adding habanero peppers sounds great!
Kind regards, Alex
Super simple recipe! Loved the flavor!
Just an FYI for anyone looking to make more, I had a ton of lemons on my tree so I ended up tripling the recipe. Everything was the same except it took me two hours until I was satisfied with the plate/wrinkle test and to be honest, I still feel like the marmalade is a little thin! I was using a tall stock pot. Despite being on the thinner side, it tastes so good!
Quick question, if I wanted more rind, could I increase the fruit and leave the other measurements the same or would that throw it off? Thanks!
Hi Alexandra!
I am really pleased you enjoyed the flavour.
We don’t usually recommend tripling the recipe, as it does take longer to cook and that can mean the flavour is not as vibrant, so it is good to know that you didn’t find that.
The marmalade is designed to be fairly soft set 🙂
I haven’t tried adding more rind, but I am sure if you added another lemon it would be fine – I would just keep an eye on it, as the additional pectin may mean it reaches setting point sooner.
Enjoy!
Hi Alexandra, just m in the process of making this today and it just doesn’t seem to be thickening at all. I soaked the fruit and meant to make next day but was a crazy day so it is being done today. I added sugar after boiling for 15mins and it has not frothed up at all and 20 mins later still very pale and watery.
What am I doing wrong please? Rel
Hi Rel,
The Marmalade won’t thicken until it is cold –
When it is boiling hot, it will still be liquid.
So just be sure to test it, as it may have already reached the setting point. (We have details on how to test in the post – either the wrinkle test on the cold saucer, or recommend a thermometer for complete accuracy).
Don’t risk over-boiling it, as that will destroy the pectin.
Kind regards, Alex
Hi Rel,
So glad to be able to help you over email. I hope you’ll enjoy your delicious Marmalade.
Kind regards, Alex
Absolutely delicious! My first time making marmalade and it was a huge success! Thanks for the easy recipe! ❤️
Hi Georgia!
Thanks so much for the comment. I am really happy to hear you had success with the marmalade. Enjoy!
Hello! I’ve been using your recipe for a while now, and have often found it necessary to add pectin to get it to set. Yes, even with fresh Meyer lemons and following all the instructions… It doesn’t affect the flavor at all, and we get the most amazing marmalade out of it! I also add about 1/2 cup of fresh grated ginger and 3 or 4 finely diced Habanero peppers. The marmalade turns out wonderful! Just the right amount of heat and definitely a great flavor!
Hi Jay,
Thanks for the comment!
I am glad you have been enjoying the marmalade. The addition of ginger and Habanero sounds so interesting! I will have to give it a try.
I have never had to add pectin to the marmalade before, so I cannot comment on that, but I am so pleased you’re enjoying it 🙂
Kind regards, Alex
Normally the quantity of the sugar and water is the same of the lemons, why is there so much sugar?
Tks
Hi Catherine,
Our Marmalade uses a different ratio to many recipes as we use a large amount of water to soak the fruit. This helps to release the pectin and speeds up the cooking the following day. The water is included in the marmalade, therefore making a large batch of marmalade – and requiring a larger amount of sugar. The recipe makes about 9 x 250ml jars.
Please let me know if you try the marmalade. Thanks, Alex
I don’t know what kind of lemons they are, but the tree in my backyard gives lots and lots of little, tart lemons with a thin skin. I was looking for something to make with them that doesn’t require peeling or juicing, and this seems like an easy recipe to try. I would like to add in some fresh ginger, since I just love the taste combination of lemon and ginger. Would that change the chemistry? At what point should I add it in?
Thanks.
Hello Martha, your lemons sound ideal. I recommend that you slice them as thinly as you can. With a thin skin, they will become soft very quickly.
I am still working on this marmalade with fresh ginger. I tried adding 1 tablespoon (4 teaspoons in Australia) fresh, grated ginger but I could not detect the flavour. I think I would try 1/4 cup next time. The ginger did not affect the setting point as lemons are high in pectin.
I look forward to hearing how you get on.