Orange-Cranberry Marmalade

My daddy was born in Surrey, England. Apparently, marmalade is a favorite among the English. I, myself, never had it until he came along. This is the second Christmas in a row that I've canned some homemade marmalade for him with the fresh picked oranges and lemons I get around this time.

This year, I decided to change up my usually recipe and I came up with an Orange-Cranberry marmalade and to add some winter flavor, I added some vanilla, cinnamon, and candied ginger. It's amazing. I was eating the leftovers out of a bowl...with a spoon. Pair this with some scones and tea and welcome to English heaven.

Plus, it looks pretty in jars. And isn't the what REALLY matters? =)

Orange-Cranberry Marmalade

4 large oranges
2 small lemons
1 cup fresh cranberries
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 pieces of candied ginger
1 1/2 cinnamon sticks
6 (8oz) canning jars with lids

Step 1

Using a vegetable peeler, begin peeling the orange and lemon zests into a pot. Once all the zests are peeled, you'll want to thinly slice them into strips (I forgot this step and the large chunks of zest are chewy but my dad likes that, so it worked for me...but thinly slice them, it's better that way).

Step 2

 

Using a knife, cut away the white part of the citrus and discard. Your oranges and lemons should look like this now.

Step 3

 

Segment the citrus. (Using a knife, cut the pulp segments out of the stringy membrane...there are videos on how to segment an orange on Youtube). Squeeze the excess juice from the membranes into the pot then discard the membranes.

Step 4

 

Add the water, heat on medium-high for 15 minutes.

Step 5

Add the cranberries and sugar, stir to dissolve.

Step 6

Add the vanilla extract, the pieces of candied ginger, and cinnamon sticks to the pot.

Step 7

 

Heat on a rapid boil for 30 minutes, stirring often so it doesn't burn on the bottom. Heat until the mixture reaches the gel stage (using a candy thermometer it should read 220 degrees). You can prepare your jars and lids for canning while it boils.

Step 8

Ladle the marmalade into prepared jars, seal with the lid and band. Process in boiling water for 10 minutes. Check the lid for a seal after 24 hours. Store in the pantry for up to a year. Refrigerate after opening.