This California Citrus Marmalade is the perfect winter cheese plate ingredient, or a simple appetizer when combined with 34° Whole Grain Crisps, Greek yogurt and thyme. Make it for gifting this holiday season or keep it for yourself.
I’m back with a second post in my Edible DIY series, today in conjunction with 34° Crisps to share this gorgeous citrus marmalade recipe.
I was most excited to move to the Bay area for graduate school because… 1) California produce! and 2) My wonderful aunt lives here and we have never gotten the chance to spend a lot of time together. We’re remedying that situation already this semester with a few hikes, a beach day, cooking adventures, and dinners out.
We put our heads together a few weeks ago to create this California Citrus Marmalade for holiday gifting, one of her favorite fruit preserves made from the juice and peel of citrus boiled with water and sugar.
I am a novice to canning and willingly jumped right in, and we were rewarded with a flat of 4-ounce Ball jars for gifting (we even made stickers to personalize them).
Marmalade is not a sweet jam or jelly – it’s has a complex bitter, caramelized fruit flavor that edges between sour and tart. I complimented it with 34° Whole Grain Crisps which are light and flavorful, creamy plain Greek yogurt, and a sprig of thyme.
The flavor combination is delightful and refreshing, perfect for snacking on before a winter dinner or bringing to assemble at a holiday event. The creamy, tangy, and crisp bite is also a great palate refresher for cookie swaps… who’s inviting me to theirs? I’ll come with marmalade + crisps! 🙂
- 3 pounds oranges (~6 medium)
- 2 pounds pink grapefruit (~3 medium)
- ½ pound lemons (~4 small)
- ½ pound limes (~2 small)
- 1 piece of cheesecloth
- 7 and ½ cups white sugar
- 4 cups of zest liquid (see notes in recipe)
- 34 Degrees Whole Grain Crisps
- 2% plain Greek yogurt
- Fresh thyme
- Choose organic fruit for marmalade and be sure to wash all produce thoroughly.
- Use a zester or peeler to remove the outermost layer, leaving behind the white pith. Chop it into small pieces or strips and add it to a pot with 6 cups of water and boil for 30 minutes.
- In the meantime, remove the pith (white membranes) from your fruit and chop up the flesh of the fruit. Bundle pith into cheesecloth and set aside.
- Drain the cooked zest, reserving 4 cups of the boiling liquid.
- In a large non-reactive pot (stainless or enamel cast iron), combine the 4 cups of boiling liquid, cooked zest, flesh of the citrus, sugar, and the cheesecloth bundle.
- Bring the pot to a boil, stirring frequently, for 40 minutes to 1 hour. The pot should boil vigorously the whole time, and a thermometer should read 220 degrees when it's finished cooking (you can also test this by dolloping some on a cold plate to see if it acts like jelly instead of liquid).
- Squeeze the cheesecloth bundle against the side of the pot and discard. Stir the marmalade well before storing in the refrigerator or canning.
- If canning, be sure to sterilize jars, lids, and rings and proceed with general canning instructions with a processing time of 5 minutes.
- Assemble 34 Degrees Whole Grain Crisps, citrus marmalade, Greek yogurt, and fresh thyme on a serving plate.
- Spread each crisp with Greek yogurt, a dollop of citrus marmalade, and a sprig of fresh thyme.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe adapted from Food In Jar's Three-Citrus Marmalade (http://foodinjars.com/2010/02/three-citrus-marmalade-recipe/).
We used Food In Jars’ (another Marisa!) 3 Citrus Marmalade as a guide for proportions and marmalade instructions and tips, using my aunt’s knowledge from previous batches with winter citrus.
As canning novices, we made a double batch in the same pot and had trouble with it setting in the expected time interval – partially because oranges tend to be finicky as they are low in pectin compared to other citrus – so I have written the recipe with our adaptations and notes as a normal sized batch. Be sure to use a large pot and fill it no more than halfway. This recipe yields 7 cups of marmalade, or ~14 4-ounce jars.
Check out my post on Simple Cheese Plate Ideas for Serving a Crowd, for more ideas!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by 34 Degrees as part of an ongoing partnership. I was compensated for my time, and all opinions are my own.
Marisa
Cassie @ Almost Getting it Together says
What an awesome homemade gift for Christmas!! Love the idea of shipping these out to my friends and family back east as a little piece of California 🙂
Marisa says
Thanks Cassie! Right? Very seasonal and special to California 🙂 I’m bringing some to Denver and Portland for gifting!
Beverley @ sweaty&fit says
This is the sweetest gift!! I would absolutely love if one of my friends gave me something like this. You are welcome to my Christmas party any day 🙂
Marisa says
Thanks Beverley! I’d love an invite 😉
Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says
This looks so delicious and love the presentation! We’re big fans of crackers topped with cheese and marmalade!
Marisa says
Thanks Jessica – it’s a great combo! Glad you’re a fan of marmalade!