Mandarin Jelly – Just Fruit & Sugar – Super Easy Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 kg sweet mandarins (unpeeled)
• 2-3 large limes or lemons (unpeeled)
• 4 cups water
• White granulated sugar (amount determined by juice volume later)

Equipment

• Large heavy-based pot
• Damp muslin/cheesecloth or clean thin cotton kitchen towel
• Colander and a deep bowl
• Sterilized glass jars with metal lids

1. Extract the Juice
   Chop: Wash the fruit thoroughly. Slice the mandarins and lemons thinly, keeping the skins, pith, and seeds (these contain the natural pectin needed to set the jelly). I used my food processor with sharp knives to cut the fruit into tiny pieces.
   Boil: Place the sliced fruit and 4 cups of water into the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for about one hour until the fruit peels are completely soft.
   Strain: Pour the mixture into a muslin-lined colander suspended over a bowl. Do not squeeze or press the fruit, or the sediment will escape and make the jelly cloudy. Let it drip naturally for about 6 hours or overnight in the fridge.
2. Measure and Boil
   Measure: Discard the leftover pulp. Measure your clear, strained juice back into the clean pot.
   Sugar ratio is 1:1. For every 500g of juice, add 500g of sugar.
   Dissolve: Heat gently, stirring constantly until the sugar completely dissolves. Do not let it boil until the sugar crystals are gone.
   Rapid boil: Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Boil rapidly for 10–15 minutes with stirring gently in between.
3. Test the Set and Jar
   Temperature test: The setting point of the jelly is at about 104- 105 degrees Celsius. Wrinkle test: Drop a spoonful of hot jelly onto a chilled plate from the freezer. Let it sit for 30 seconds, then push it with your finger. If it wrinkles, even only a little, it is ready. If it is too liquid, boil for another 2 minutes and test again. Note: Don’t overcook the marmalade as it will turn brown and rubbery. The marmalade will continue setting for up to two weeks in the jars, so I generally fill the jars with a marmalade that is softer and a bit runny rather than solid.
   Skim: Turn off the heat. Use a spoon to skim off any white foam from the surface to keep the jelly perfectly clear.
4. Jar the marmalade
   Fill sterilized jars immediately and seal tightly. (I use a wide-mouth funnel—you can modify a regular funnel if needed.) Wipe the jar rims and lids with a paper towel to ensure they’re clean and dry before sealing.
5. Storage
   Let the jars cool until the lids “pop” inward, indicating a proper seal. Store them in a pantry for up to two years if sealed correctly.