Lime Marmalade

Stay in the Bay NZ's Note:

We have three lime trees so I am constantly looking for recipes involving limes, I came across this one for lime marmalade and everyone just loves it!!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 30 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 20

• 2 ¼ lbs fresh limes
• 7 cups water
• 3 ½ lbs sugar , approx

Directions:

1. Wash limes thoroughly, dry; using sharp knife, slice as finely as possible; retain any juice from limes; remove seeds (if there are any, as you slice).
2. Place sliced limes, any reserved juice and water in china, glass or plastic basin, cover, stand overnight.
3. Next day, pour lime mixture into large boiler, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer covered for 30-45 mins or until rind is tender. It is important to cook fruit gently at this stage.
4. Remove lime mixture from heat; using measuring jug, measure mixture into large basin, return lime mixture to large boiler. Allow 1 cup sugar for each 1 cup of measured lime mixture.
5. Place sugar in large baking dish, place in slow oven for 10 minutes, stir several times. (Heated sugar will dissolve in the jam more quickly, resulting in clearer jam). Bring lime mixture to boil, add sugar all at once, (its better to add the sugar off the heat).
6. Stir until sugar is dissolved completely – do not allow to boil again until this happens; do not stir after marmalade boils. (It is important, once sugar is added that there is not too much mixture in the boiler; it should not be more than 5cm (2in) deep; this will allow maximum evaporation of liquid, resulting in a marmalade which will jell as quickly as possible.).
7. Bring marmalade to the boil, boil rapidly, uncovered. Place a saucer in the freezer for 10 minutes, before testing marmalade. After marmalade has been boiling rapidly for 12 minutes, remove from heat; allow bubbles to subside, drop a teaspoonful of marmalade on to a cold saucer, return to freezer for a few minutes to cool. If marmalade is not jelled enough, return to heat, cook further 3 minutes, test again in the same way. Marmalade should be jelled within 20 minutes; stand 5 minutes to allow fruit to settle. Pour into hot sterilized jars, Store in cool dark place.
8. Makes about 2 litres (8 cups).

Reviews

[abyahoo]

This recipe is delicious. We have Kalamansi limes in our backyard. These limes are like very small bitter oranges, full of seeds. Everything about them is orange, so I'm not sure why they are called limes, except they are sour. I made a beautiful batch of orange marmalade, like the best Seville marmalade you can buy, and it has the perfect balance of tart to sweet. This is a great recipe that works every time, and everyone loves the result.

[jellybeanzoo]

I was thrilled at the result I got from this recipe. I was fairly easy to make and everyone loves it. I have rarely achieved a good jam so this recipe must be excellent if I could make it successfully!

[Yarrandabbi]

Highly recommended!! This recipe resulted in the best marmalade I have made in 30 years. Spectacular! My neighbours think so too. I used a large pan with about 3 1/2" of marmalade liquid boiling. It took 25mins to jell. The colour is still beautiful. I also loved the fact that it is a 'fuss free' recipe - except for the fine slicing of course. Previously, when making lime marmalade I tried to use my new American heavy duty food processor for slicing. It's rotating central stalk broke. Apparently our West Indian Limes, small, very little pith and solid, are too heavy for slicing in this manner??? Why don't they make the stalk of steel? Anyway, my dear husband did most of the slicing - he'll be doing most of the marmalade eating too! I find that if a marmalade exudes liquid after opening, I place the jar (without top) in the microwave, on med heat for 3 minutes, no stirring and it revives like newly made marmalade. Happy preserving everyone!