There’s nothing more satisfying than turning a big bowl of limes into a delicious, tart marmalade to enjoy on your toast in the mornings. Especially if you have that big bowl because you over estimated how many margaritas you would drink!

Lime marmalade isn’t as common as its orange cousin, which makes this homemade lime marmalade all the more deserving of the spotlight. It’s bold, it’s fragrant and it makes toast feel like a celebration.

Why Lime?

Besides the occasional over-buying, limes bring a punchy brightness that wakes up your taste buds and sets you up for the day. Unlike oranges, their zest is more stubborn, so this marmalade leans into slow simmering to coax out that perfect texture. The result? A preserve that’s tart, aromatic and just the right amount of bitterness.

Ingredients (Makes around 6 jars)

• 3 unwaxed lemons (approx. 300g) for natural pectin, which helps the marmalade set.
• 12 unwaxed limes
• 1.5 kg sugar
• 1.75 litres water
• Muslin cloth, to hold the pips and pith in the pot

Method

1. Prep the citrus
   • Cut the limes and lemons in half and squeeze the juice into a jug.
   • Place the pips and pith in a muslin cloth over a bowl to catch extra juice.
2. Slice the peel
   • Quarter the peel and slice into thin shreds.
   • Add the peel to a large pan of water. Tie the muslin bag of pips and pith and suspend it in the pan using the handle, so it’s immersed but easy to remove
3. Simmer
   • Simmer fruit and water uncovered for approx. 2 hours or until peel is soft, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
   • Meanwhile chill a few saucers in the freezer for testing later.
4. Add sugar
   • Remove the muslin bag and let the bag cool, so it can be handled.
   • Stir the sugar into the pan over low heat until it is all dissolved.
   • Squeeze the cooled muslin bag to extract the pectin and whisk it into the pan.
5. Boil & test
   • Bring to a fast boil for around 15 minutes.
   • Take a teaspoon of marmalade and place it on a chilled saucer. If the surface wrinkles when you push it, it’s ready. If not, repeat every 10 minutes until set.
6. Finish & jar
   • Stir in ½ tsp butter to disperse the scum which has formed on top.
   • Let marmalade settle and cool for around 20 minutes.
   • Pot into sterilized jars and seal.

Storing and Gifting

Once the marmalade has cooled and the jars have popped, it’s time to store. If the jars are for personal use then simply writing on each jar with a wipeable pen is enough. But if they are for gifts, you can design a label to stick to the jars, or attach a handwritten brown label with a ribbon, to make it a bit more personal and special

This marmalade will keep for about a year unopened, once opened, it should be used within about 3 months… if it even lasts that long!

How to enjoy

The main way to enjoy this marmalade is on toast naturally! But it also tastes great:

• Slathered on freshly made bread (sourdough is even better!) with salted butter
• Swirled into yogurt or porridge
• Use as a glaze for roast chicken or halloumi
• Spooned into cake batter for a citrusy twist
• Mixed into the fresh cream on top of a pavlova

Bonus: Margarita Marmalade

Feeling cheeky? Stir in 50ml tequila as the marmalade cools for a grown-up twist. Start your day off with a kick!

Final Thoughts

Lime marmalade is a show-off. It’s not shy, not subtle, and definitely not boring. Its the jam that makes you feel like you have done something clever with your weekend. And if you are gifting a jar, expect compliments, even applause.