I couldn’t find the history of orange marmalade, so I can’t tell you who, where, or when it was first made. But that doesn’t make it any less delicious. With its incredible amber color and aroma, it’s perfect as a filling for pies and tarts, with pancakes, crepes, or just with tea. A big thank you to Ira Baranska for the recipe!
- 6 medium oranges
- 1.25 kg sugar
- 2 cups water (about 450–500 ml)
- 1/4 tsp. vanilla
- 1 cinnamon stick
Take medium-sized oranges and peel them. In a saucepan, pour 2 cups of water, add the sugar, and cook a sugar syrup. Let it boil and reduce slightly. While the syrup is boiling, peel the oranges, slice them into rings, and then cut each ring into four pieces. Keep the peel of one orange (remove the white part, leaving only the orange zest), blanch it with boiling water to remove bitterness, and cut it into thin strips.
Add the oranges and the chopped zest to the sugar syrup, then add the vanilla (a pinch) and the cinnamon stick. Cook uncovered for 2.5–3 hours. It’s best to use a pot with a thick bottom, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or a spoon safe for non-stick cookware. The cooking time largely depends on the juiciness of the oranges and the amount of syrup produced.
Test: Drop a little marmalade onto a plate. If the drop is too runny, cook it longer. Keep in mind that the marmalade will thicken as it cools.
Sterilize jars and lids with boiling water and let them dry completely. Pour the marmalade into the jars. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Optional additions to the recipe:
- 50 ml Cointreau at the end of cooking to highlight the pleasant bitterness of the zest
- Vanilla bean seeds, which will add magical black specks to the marmalade — imagine how beautiful this would look on pancakes!
Take medium-sized oranges and peel them. In a saucepan, pour 2 cups of water, add the sugar, and cook a sugar syrup. Let it boil and reduce slightly. While the syrup is boiling, peel the oranges, slice them into rings, and then cut each ring into four pieces. Keep the peel of one orange (remove the white part, leaving only the orange zest), blanch it with boiling water to remove bitterness, and cut it into thin strips.
Add the oranges and the chopped zest to the sugar syrup, then add the vanilla (a pinch) and the cinnamon stick. Cook uncovered for 2.5–3 hours. It’s best to use a pot with a thick bottom, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon or a spoon safe for non-stick cookware. The cooking time largely depends on the juiciness of the oranges and the amount of syrup produced.
Test: Drop a little marmalade onto a plate. If the drop is too runny, cook it longer. Keep in mind that the marmalade will thicken as it cools.
Sterilize jars and lids with boiling water and let them dry completely. Pour the marmalade into the jars. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Optional additions to the recipe:
- 50 ml Cointreau at the end of cooking to highlight the pleasant bitterness of the zest
- Vanilla bean seeds, which will add magical black specks to the marmalade — imagine how beautiful this would look on pancakes!
