Lemon Marmalade

Making lemon marmalade is a great way to use up a bunch of lemons rolling around in your crisper. This recipe uses the whole lemon, even the membranes and seeds, which go into a pouch so their naturally-occurring pectin can help set the jam. It’s simply divine slathered onto hot, buttered toast or freshly baked scones.

1/2 lbs (680 g) lemons, washed well, halved crosswise

2 1/2 cups (625 mL) water

3 cups (750 mL) sugar

1. Place a small plate in freezer. Juice lemons, saving seeds, and transfer juice to a medium heavy-bottom pot.

2. With hands, turn each juiced lemon half inside out. Peel out all membranes and seeds. (A metal spoon can help scrape these out.) Wrap membranes and seeds up inside a double layer of cheesecloth and tie up with kitchen string. Add pouch to pot with juice.

3. Slice peels into 1⁄8-inch- (3-mm-) thick strips until you have 1 1⁄2 cups (375 mL) peel. Add to pot along with water. Place over high heat. When it comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. With a small fine-mesh sieve, lift out pouch and carefully press out as much liquid as possible with back of a spoon. Discard pouch.

4. Stir in sugar and raise heat to high. When it comes to a boil, reduce heat to maintain a vigorous simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a gel stage (225°F/107°C), about 10 minutes. (If you don’t have a thermometer, place a small spoonful on the frozen plate and return to freezer for 1 minute. If it wrinkles lightly when pressed with your finger, it’s ready.)

5. Transfer to three clean 1-cup (250-mL) jars. Seal and label jars with date. Cool completely and refrigerate up to 3 months.

Makes three 1-cup (250-mL) jars