Hi Helen, I think the solution could be to add sugar free pectin as I couldn’t vouch for adding more lemon which may not work. You’d need to follow the package instructions as it’s not something I ever use. Also wondering if you boiled the marmalade until it passed the set test on a chilled plate? If you have a digital thermometer you’re aiming for a temperature of 105 – 105.5C before testing. Reducing the sugar would probably have increased the boiling time.

Hi! I love the consistency of this marmalade, but I find it way too sweet. When I reduce the sugar, it doesn’t set completely resulting in a runny marmalade. Can I add another lemon or how do I get a firmer consistency with less sugar?

Hi Emmet, glad it all worked out OK in the end. A rolling boil is a term referred to in all jam making and it’s where large bubbles form and splatter, they often reach up to the top of the pan. It sounds like you hade the marmalade on a simmer, ie small bubbles.

In reply to Camilla.

Hi Camilla your right it did set the 1/4 jar I put in the fridge. I’m amazed at how many jars you get out of 3 oranges and a lemon. I don’t have to worry about buying them for a few months. Your right I didn’t have the heat up high enough I just had a rolling boil, lesson learned. Definitely glad I found your recipe. Emmet

Hi Emma, I can only think that you didn’t have the marmalade on the highest heat for a full rolling boil as it should only take 13 minutes, it should bubble right up to near the surface of the pan. I’m not sure that the marmalade will set if you only got it to 103C but if you did the chilled plate test and it formed a gel then it should work. I don’t recall mentioning 48 hours. It should be ready as soon as it’s cooled, I usually wait until the next day to check.

In reply to Camilla.

Hi Camilla I should of read the comments further as I noticed one on sept 23. Now mine are finished and jarred up. It didn’t reach 105c but it made it to 103c that was after 40 minutes so I decided to take it off the heat and sieve it. It filled 3 1/4 jars and I’m happy with that. I scraped a slice of bread along the bowl that had the filling in and it definitely tasted like shop bought so it should taste better than shop bought when set. I reread your notes and I thought I read that you have to leave in a dark and cool place to set for 48 hours, is that correct? So far so good Camilla and I look forward to a couple of slices of toast in 2 days. Thanks again for the recipe. Emmet

Hi Emmet, I’m definitely still around as this post was updated in Sept 2023. I’ve looked back at my photos and the oranges and lemon were not fully submerged. I will add a line about this in the recipe to clear up any confusion so thank you for flagging up.

Do the oranges and lemon have to be completely submerged in the first boiling. Mine are on the range now for the past 35 minutes and 1 orange and the lemon are half submerged but it’s a lovely rolling boil and I don’t want to disturb them. I notice that the last comment was in 2014 so I hope you are still around. First time making marmalade. Thanks for recipe whatever. Emmet

Hi Annette, sadly cutting up the fruit and boiling will not spread up the cooking time as the orange rinds take that long to cook either way (check other recipes). I’ve not tried your next suggestion either so can’t vouch for the effect it would have on flavour. The sticky sieve is really not an issue under a hot tap and the shreds when squeezed withe back of a spoon do give up their juicy Marmalade very well.

Hi Camilla, I’m looking for an easy recipe and yours looks fab 😉 two questions please: Could I chop up the fruit and simmer it, which would reduce the cooking time and ££ saved; and, could I strain it all the shreds and pulp after it’s boiled once, before adding the sugar rather than after the marmalade is made ? This would avoid a sticky sieve and also potentially losing some marmalade stuck to the shreds… what are your thoughts? Many thanks indeed!

Thank you so much Lucy, glad you like it:-)

Thank you so much Miriam and loving the sound of the blood oranges version:-)

Super, lovely recipe! Easy to follow and works an absolute treat. I can add that it works with navel oranges, blood oranges and Jaffa oranges too. Thank you Camilla.

Wow Joan, thank you so much, now I really want to go and make some 🙂

Thank you so much for this recipe. It is the best shredless marmalade l have ever made. It was a straightforward easy recipe and the result was amazing – a perfect set and delicious taste. Thank you.

Thank you Susie, I think I got my ml and kg mixed up that day! Glad you like the recipe and have added your own twist to it:-)

In reply to Camilla.

In your reply to Margaret you confirm the amount of sugar to use is 1,590ml but your recipe states 1.590kg. There is a slight difference according to Google. I use about 1.35kgs as I prefer it less sweet. However I’ve made your recipe countless times and it’s absolutely delicious every time. I’ve made a couple of changes to your recipe, 1) I strain the fruit out of the liquid just prior to the setting point, that way I get a better yield. 2) I add a few tablespoons of whiskey just after I reach setting point, the flavour is wonderful and it still sets beautifully. Thanks so much for sharing.

Hi Margaret, no worries. 0.5L equals 500 ml. So 1.59 L equals 1,590 ml or 1 L and 590 ml. The water is 1 L and 150 ml. 1000 ml in a L.

Made your marmalade came out ok but think I used too much sugar,please explain is it1.Kilo plus 59 grams or 1Kilo and590 grams of sugar?? sorry maths is very bad. also the same with water !litre and 15ml or 1Litre and 150ml??

Hi JH, you’ll see in the step by step photos that the skin is there and it’s not mentioned to remove it as it stays along with the flesh until it’s sieved at the end.

Awesome Sean, so glad you like it:-)

Tried today brilliant recipe and very tasty, well done Camilla and thank you!

Sean

Exactly, I don’t think you’ll have any complaints on that score:-)

Hi Sean, I wouldn’t know how to change the consistency and having had a look at many online marmalade recipes non of them looked like Golden Shred jelly type.

I’ll be a first timer and also live in Spain where shredless marmalade is hard to get but I prefer if possible more of a jelly like consistency, is this possible with this recipe? Thank you.

Hi Claire, officially the setting temperature of marmalade/jam is 105C but the type of set you like is a personal thing so I would be inclined to test on a chilled saucer from 104C.

So glad you like the recipe Maria, I must make some soon myself:-)

My first time making marmalade and this was so good, the recipe was easy to follow and hubby loved it. I even added some gin to the left over rind – yum! Many thanks for yet another fab recipe.

I’ve only used alcohol in my Rhubarb & Gin Jam where I added it from the start but you can also add alcohol at the end I’ve seen. I imagine it has more of a hit and more alcoholic if added at the end.

Yes I’m making another batch now but adding a little single malt as I’m making it for Christmas gifts when would you suggest I add it when I’m making jams I add it at the point I put it in the jars

Thank you Rosemary. If Sevilles were available all year I’m sure I’d have use them, so that’s why I asked a professional small scale marmalade manufacturer (Sarah or Artisan Kitchen) if one could use normal oranges and she said you could. I think it’s nice to be able to use a more common ingredient when the specialist one isn’t available and in turn share that knowledge. Nothing stopping people using Sevilles in this recipe, it is after all just a starting place and once it enters people’s homes it takes on new life. A mangled requote of Nigel Slater:-)

Thank you so much, so glad you like the recipe:-)

Great find so simple and easy great instructions too fantastic thanks for sharing

Excellent Kenny, so glad you liked the recipe and that you had success with your first marmalade:-)

First time with Marmalade, but this recipe was easy to follow and tastes wonderful. Having just been given 20 kilos of freshly picked oranges and with lemons growing on the tree outside the house, all I had to buy was the sugar! Thank you.

Aah, great, it’s not easy to trouble shoot on the other end of a computer:-) Glad you figured it out and saved your marmalade and your husband’s taste buds:-)

Hi Rita, you just keep boiling and testing every 3 minutes, maybe less towards the end until your marmalade forms a crinkle, you don’t stop after 3 extra minutes. So you haven’t done anything wrong. If you’ve potted it up just pop it back in the pan and continue boiling and testing until it’s ready. Good luck!

Yay, so glad you like the recipe, thank you for your feedback:-)

wow What an awesome recipe, so easy you can’t go wrong .
Going to make more than one batch that’s for sure.
Thank you thank you .

I can’t say for sure as I haven’t done that, but the only thing I could think that would be different is that oranges yield more juice than limes weight for weight.

So happy you like my recipe Philippa, thank you for leaving your feedback it means a lot:-)

I have tried a number of shredless marmalade recipes and none have been very successful – until I found this one! I had to make it over 2 evenings as I have an Aga which tends to run out of enough steam if you use the hottest hob for long periods of time, so I did the 1.75 hours simmering one day and then the remaining 12-15 mins the next. Works really well and I’m very happy! I used slightly less sugar as we like it slightly less sweet and it was still fine and thickened really easily.