More Marmalade Ideas

It’s a fact that lots of people don’t particularly relish January. That post-Christmas slump as we head to work; cold and dark days filled with miserable weather; and a seemingly endless wait until our next payday. For the team at Wares, however, there’s a little ray of sunshine in the midst of all that wintry gloom, and that’s because it's marmalade season. 

Over in Spain, it’s peak orange season and if you head down to your local greengrocers, you should find some super Seville oranges that are just crying out to be turned into your very own delicious marmalade. In today’s blog post, we cover a few new twists on the traditional marmalade recipe, to get you fired up to create some of that golden magic for yourself. So if January is getting you down, do something about it, and perk yourself up with a session of marmalade making in the kitchen. So grab some glass jars and let’s get started…

As we already mentioned, Seville oranges are the traditional fruit of choice for marmalade. The consistently high temperatures in the Seville region give these oranges a stronger, more concentrated flavour than many other varieties, and the thick peel offers plenty of pectin to set your marmalade naturally. You can experiment with the size and thickness of the shreds you add into your marmalade, to produce exactly the kind of marmalade you and your family enjoy.

Don’t forget to dig out enough marmalade jars before you start your recipe and always ensure that glass jars are properly sterilised before you use them. And if you really want to liven up a traditional Seville orange marmalade recipe, why not consider adding a splash of whisky or brandy to it for a little kick that’s indulgent and refined all at the same time?

Just don’t go overboard with the alcohol, as you’ll overwhelm the gorgeous orange flavour and always label your marmalade carefully, so that anyone who has an alcohol intolerance, or who just doesn’t want to imbibe in any way, can see what’s in those marmalade jars!

Alternative Marmalade Ideas

Whilst Seville oranges are the quintessential citrus ingredient for marmalade, there are so many other possibilities and flavour permutations to explore that work just as well for marmalade. This year, we’re planning to fill some glass jars with a few more unusual combinations. One in particular that we are really keen to try out is rhubarb and ginger.

It won't be long now before the first of the new season’s early forced rhubarb is available at greengrocers, and as soon as it is, we’re definitely giving that flavour combination a try. This idea adds rhubarb to a traditional orange marmalade recipe, rather than replacing the oranges entirely and then adds an extra kick with a healthy measure of fresh, grated ginger.

Since rhubarb seems to invoke a bit of a love it or hate it reaction in many people, much like Marmite, it’s best to label clearly to let people know exactly what they’re about to spread on their toast!

Another fabulous idea for a more unusual marmalade is honey marmalade. Since honey is essentially 80% sugar and 20% water, you can follow a traditional marmalade recipe but substitute some or all of the sugar and water for honey. This will give an incredibly special flavour to your marmalade, really making it stand out from the crowd. And if you want to work that winter warmer theme a little bit more, add the zest and juice of a lemon and a little grated ginger too, to give you honey, lemon and ginger marmalade. That’s a cold remedy on toast!

If you’ve still got a few glass jars to fill, and your marmalade yearnings aren’t yet satisfied, why not try some other citrus fruits instead of oranges? Try a combination of lemons, limes and oranges for something extra special, or go all out with a grapefruit recipe. 

Marmalade & Chocolate

We have one more unusual marmalade idea for you today and oh boy, have we saved the best until last! For the ultimate decadent treat, try adding some grated dark chocolate to your regular Seville marmalade recipe. It’s essential that you use a really good quality chocolate for this, to really pack a punch, taste-wise. Don’t go mad with the chocolate though; you only need around 100g of chocolate for a 6-8 jar marmalade recipe. As with most things culinary, the secret is in finding just the right amount to enhance the flavours of a dish, and not to overwhelm it.

Are you ready to fill those glass jars with your own unique marmalades? Whether you go for a classic recipe with Seville oranges, or you decide to try something a little more out there, we’d love to hear how you get on. You can share your stories and photos with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. And of course, don’t forget to check out our extensive range of glass jars, including some gorgeous marmalade jars, in our online store.