Sunshine in a jar

I love recycling old Bonne Maman jam jars

Do you have a favorite jam? Mine is orange marmalade. Nothing beats the perky, sunshiny, real orange goodness on your breakfast toast. I know it's easy to grab a bottle of jam from the grocery shelf but flavor wise, homemade jam is hard to beat. You can make a batch for your own household consumption and another batch for gift-giving. Here's the perfect  orange marmalade recipe from Sure-Jell Fruit pectin which is tried and tested to be consistent in flavor and jelling time. While you're at it, check out this lovely free canning jam jar printable set roundup  from The Spruce Crafts. Also, I collect pretty Bonne Maman jars so I can fill them up with my homemade jam.

Happy jam making!


ORANGE MARMALADE RECIPE

Ingredients:

•  8 ripe navel oranges 
• 2 lemons
• 4 cups sugar
•  2.5 cups water 
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1 package Sure-Jell fruit pectin for less or no sugar needed 

Directions:


1. Remove peel from oranges and lemons using a vegetable peeler. Chop or cut into small pieces. Set aside.

2. In a large sauce pot, add 2 1/2 cups water, 1/8 tsp baking soda and chopped orange and lemon peels.

3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes over medium heat. Stir occasionally.

4. Extract orange juice and lemon juice using citrus squeezer. Use a strainer to filter out seeds. Do not discard soft pulp. Add fruit  juice and pulp to prepared fruit in sauce pot. Simmer for an additional 10 minutes.

5. In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup sugar (from the 4 cups sugar)and 1 package of Sure-Jell fruit pectin. Stir pectin mixture and remaining sugar into prepared fruit.  Return to full rolling boil  for exactly 1 minute while continuously stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and skim off foam from surface using metal spoon.

6. Ladle into sterilized jam jars. Let cool. Label and decorate jam jars and refrigerate after cooling.