Homemade lemon marmalade is thin strips of lemon zest cooked with lemon juice, chopped pulp, sugar, and water over low heat for 40 to 50 minutes until syrupy and thick, then left chunky or blended and jarred hot. It takes 30 minutes of preparation and 60 minutes of cooking, and makes 10 servings.
A bright, tangy preserve for toast, cookies, or desserts, with no artificial preservatives.
How to Make Lemon Marmalade?
It needs only lemons, sugar, and water. Removing the bitter white pith and cooking slowly gives a clear, balanced marmalade.
Nutritional Information
Each serving of lemon marmalade contains approximately 80 kcal, 0.2 g of protein, 0 g of fat, 0 mg of cholesterol, 21 g of carbohydrates (20 g of sugars), and 1 mg of sodium. These values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients and portion sizes.
Homemade Lemon Marmalade Recipe
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking: 60 minutes
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 600 g of lemons
- 400 g (2 cups) of white sugar
- 500 ml (2 cups) of purified water
Instructions
- Wash the lemons well and peel off only the yellow zest with a peeler, avoiding the bitter white pith, then cut it into thin strips. Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice into a bowl, remove the remaining white pith, chop the pulp, and put everything in a large pot.
- Add the zest strips, sugar, and water and mix well. Heat over medium low heat and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally so it does not stick. Lower the heat and cook for 40 to 50 minutes, stirring now and then, until it forms a thick syrup.
- Leave it chunky, or remove from the heat and blend to the texture you like. Pour hot into sterilized jars, leaving a little headspace, seal well, turn upside down on the lid, and let cool before storing.
Additional Tips
Reduce bitterness
Soak the zest in cold water with a pinch of salt for 30 minutes, changing the water twice.
Add a green apple
One grated green apple per 500 g of lemons adds natural pectin to help it set.
Test the set
Put a little on a cold plate; if it wrinkles and does not run back together when pushed, it is ready, or check for 105°C (221°F) with a thermometer.
| Original ingredient | Substitute | Ratio | Flavor note |
|---|---|---|---|
| White sugar | Erythritol or cooking stevia | Adjust to taste | Sugar free, keeps less |
| Eureka lemons | Pica limes | 600 g | Adjust the sugar |
| Chunky | Blended | Same recipe | Smooth spread |
| No pectin | 1 grated green apple | Per 500 g lemons | Firmer set |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Which lemons work best?
Yellow Eureka or similar lemons for their sweeter aroma and softer peel, although Pica limes also work if you adjust the sugar.
2. How long does it keep once opened?
3 to 4 weeks in the fridge in a clean, closed jar.
3. Can I make it without sugar?
You can use cooking sweeteners such as erythritol or stevia, but the texture and keeping quality will be affected.
4. How do I know it has set?
Put a little on a cold plate and run a finger through it. If it does not run back together, it is ready. The setting point is 105°C (221°F).
Origin of Lemon Marmalade
Lemon marmalade comes from the European tradition of preserving fruit for winter, particularly in Spain, where abundant lemons led to many recipes.
Did You Know?
The word marmalade comes from the Portuguese marmelada, originally a quince preserve, and later came to mean preserves of many fruits.
How to adapt this recipe to a vegan or vegetarian version?
How to adapt this recipe to a gluten-free version?
How to adapt this recipe to a keto (ketogenic) version?
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- Homemade Orange Marmalade Recipe
- Chilean Lemon Cookies Recipe
- Chilean Strawberry Jam Recipe
- Quince Jam Recipe
