Mandarin marmalade is a delightful preserve that captures the fragrance and flavor of this very aromatic fruit. It’s easy to make and allows you to enjoy this wonder even in the months when the fruit is not in season. The ingredients are only two: high-quality fruit and sugar (I prefer cane sugar, but of course, white granulated sugar can also be used). Mandarin marmalade can be enjoyed at breakfast or snack time but can also be used to glaze desserts, accompany ice cream, or fill pies.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2.65 lbs
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
Ingredients
- 4.4 lbs peeled mandarins
- 28 oz sugar
- zest of 2 lemons
Preparation
Wash 3 mandarins with a brush and grate the zest directly into a large stainless steel pot with a thick and high bottom, which we will use to prepare the marmalade. Peel all the fruits and remove the white threads that would give the preparation a bitter note.
Transfer the fruits to the pot together with the sugar (which must be at least 40% to 50% of the total fruit weight, as it not only sweetens but also helps preserve the product longer) and the lemon peels without the inner white part.
Using a large fork, pierce the mandarin fruits multiple times: this way, not only will the sugar distribute evenly, but it will also allow the juice to be released and the formation of syrup, which will significantly shorten the cooking time. Stir occasionally and let the fruit rest in the sugar for about 3 hours.
Sterilize the jars and lids that will be used to store the marmalade.
After the maceration time, place the pot on the smallest burner, on high heat, and cover until the mixture begins to boil.
At this point, remove the lid and, stirring occasionally, remove with a slotted spoon the seeds that will start to come to the surface.
Continue until the mixture reaches the density you want to give your marmalade (in my case, the marmalade cooked a total of an hour and 10 minutes).
At first, the pot will fill with syrup. This is not a problem, as this syrup will gradually reduce significantly.
The marmalade must be checked very frequently to prevent it from burning or thickening too much.
The mixture of fruit and syrup will begin to thicken more and more, and the syrup will be almost completely absorbed. At this point (more or less after about 50-60 minutes), to check if the marmalade is ready, do the “plate” test.
Put a teaspoon of marmalade on a dry coffee plate, let it sit for about a minute, and then let it slide down the plate. If it slides off too easily, it means it’s still too liquid. Wait another 5 minutes and repeat the test. It’s ready when it slides down slowly.
Turn off the heat, remove the lemon peels, and immediately fill the jars, as the marmalade, when hot, is more liquid than it will be once cooled.
Fill the jars up to a centimeter from the edge, seal well, and immediately turn them upside down to create a vacuum seal. Let them cool completely without touching them. Store them in a cool, dry place. The marmalade is soft and dense.
If you love citrus, you might also be interested in grapefruit marmalade, orange marmalade, mixed citrus marmalade.
