With the last of my lemons I made Honey Lemon Marmalade adapted from a recipe I found at Food In Jars. 
It was the most amazing day yesterday. We let the fire go out and I had the windows and doors open. The air wooshed through on the tail of the wind but I did not care. It was FRESH! I just dressed appropriately! But I did not even need a jacket, and my clown suit sulked on its hook all day. As the day warmed up so did the bees and out they came. I took you out to see.
So I had 8 juicy organic lemons left over. Just enough to make the honey lemon marmalade. This is a sensational marmalade. Quite a change from the straight sugar variety.
- 8 lemons (about 4 cups of chopped lemon)
- 1 cup home made honey
- scant 2 cups of sugar
- 1 cup water
Now Marissa added pectin right at the end, but I made a tiny change, don’t tell her, she might get cranky, and I used the seeds to thicken the jam. I do not like it too thick you see. And I am making it to cook with, so it does not need to keep for months.
Cut the lemons into wedges, slice the thin end of the wedge off along with the seeds, flick out and collect any extra seeds. Wrap those slices of pith and the seeds in a small muslin bag to cook with the marmalade.
Put the lemon wedges through a food processor using the slice blade, twice. This was my first attempt at a short cut and it worked very well. Lemon juice and cut fingers do not go well together.
Cook all ingredients plus the muslin bag for about 30 – 45 minutes. Drop tiny bits into a saucer of freezing cold water to test, the marmalade needs to gel into a rolling ball. If it is not thickening to your satisfaction then you could add the pectin. Just a heaped tablespoon, then simmer for about 5 minutes.
Ladle into serilised jars. Lids and rings and into a boiling bath for ten minutes. I omitted the water bath as well because this marmalade is destined for the fridge. But Marissa would encourage you to use the water bath just to be sure.
Stand by though, as this special marmalade is an ingredient in a lovely dinner! I shall cook it for you today. These are the bees in the struggling hive. They were out and about yesterday in the warm as well, and I was much heartened by their vigor. It is not their honey we are using today, they were left with all their honey for winter food.
Today is also destined to be warm. No fire to warm the house today. No-one will be inside anyway!! After doing the barn I shall be hanging the clothes out on the line to dry. Later today we are off to the junk yard to find something we can turn into a harvest table. I shall take the camera in case there are treasures! You can have a wee excursion!
Good Morning!
c
The Kitchen's Garden 
100 responses to “Honey Lemon Marmalade on a lovely late Winter Day”
Looking forward to see what you find in the junkyard 🙂
Same, I am very attracted to junk yards! c
YAY bees! It is so heartening to see them out! I was worried about our big hive. I was out there the other day when it was warmish and didn’t see any activity, while a few bees were coming in and out of the newer hive. But Bill and Mike (husband and son) peeked in the top over the weekend and found that most of the bees have moved up into the top brood box. Alive! phew! Which means we will have to switch the two brood boxes later to get the queen and her brood back to the bottom box. But I always worry about February. Do you give your bees fondant? Your honey lemon marmalade sounds elegant. Thank you bees!
I give them a bee cake, I always leave them with plenty of honey, and then in march we will begin with the sugar water. I am always worried about the switching of the boxes, it has to be done and I have to force myself to wait until May. I switched my strong hive last year, divided one and exactly 6 weeks later they swarmed, then they swarmed again. Then I had four hives. This year, when I reverse the hives I am going to add a box on top and give them room to move up as well. Hopefully to ward off the swarming. I love the bees. We must keep in touch on it as like everything i am very new to bees! c
It’s great to see and read about your bees. The sun came out here briefly today, and I know how your bees feel, warming themselves in the sun. Looking forward to my excursion tomorrow 🙂
The bees are full of promise aren’t they! They always look so strong and stroppy! So far so good! c
Your talents continue to amaze me!
I am still learning how to do most stuff Frank. But I am certainly learning fast!! Good morning.. c
Yesterday was spectacular. Often, here near the Lake, a day that warm will bring a thick, damp fog that prohibits the temps from rising. I don’t know what happened but there was no fog and we had an incredible day, as a result. Good to see the bees out & about, even if just on their ledge. C’mon Spring!
We had quite a bit of wind, maybe it blew the fog away.. and it looks like today will be even better as we do not have the wind so far.. So beautiful.. another gift.. remember this time last winter!! c
I’m reminded of Gran making her apricot jam with the seeds from inside the kernels floating as pale islands inside the jar. As to the wind blowing through your house, I think you are very hardy.
Oh yeah, my Mum used to do that too, i had completely forgotton about it! And now i know why.. I am hardy, as soon as John was asleep I got up and opened the bedroom window, it was cold but I love to hear the outside! i have blankets!! c
Love that marmalade…and don’t worry about Marisa – she loves variations AND refrigerator preserves!
We have 50F and rain this morning…If this keeps up, I’m planting peas next week. 🙂
I have started my sweet peas, and today I MUST sow the pansies. Indoors. Do you have covers for your plants if it does turn on us? I mean the howlers must come! c
Just some old sheets…but if I have to replant, it’s no big deal. There are always more seeds in the packet than I need.
This is how i feel too, and if you win a few early plants.. all good1 c
Sounds and looks nummy. Today is a far cry from yesterday. Yesterday sunny(ish) and warm, today cooler and rainy. At least it isn’t snowing! t
Rain is ok, moisture in the soil for spring is a good thing, snow tends to evaporate off fast. But I actually would not mind a real snow storm, i am still a bit of a kid about the snow!! Morning Miss T.. c
I don’t think I’ve ever had marmalade but it seems similar to jam/jelly. Looks delicious and like it would go rather nicely on a scone (also never had) – Geeze, it would appear I live under a rock.
Tia scones are so easy to make, there is a recipe for them on here somewhere! Your rock must be amazing if you are living under it!!! c
Junk yards and junk shops, I can spend hours mooching around. Your marmalade looks lovely, I shall remember this recipe for when my lemon tree is in season.
Morning Sous, i just you out of spam jail too.. i shall pop over and visit later! c
‘morning C. That marmalade will be great treatment for a cold! I know you like shortcuts: I use my mum’s tatty old sugar thermometer, to test for a set, avoiding all that faffing about with cold saucers. When your jam reaches 225 degrees F, a set is achieved. Also, to sterilize jars and lids etc, I rinse them and put them upside-down in a roasting tin and bung them in the oven at 110 degrees centigrade (230 F) for twenty minutes while the jam is boiling.
Aaa, very good info. i shall store it away in my paddington bear like brain!! I also have a tatty old sugar thermometer, time to put it to use! c
Delicious and nice to see the bees 😉
morning mad, i hope your weather has warmed up a little!! c
I love to hear about your bees and really would love to have some too. The marmalade looks and sounds great., will have to give that a go with our lemons. Could do with a big spoonful of it right now as I have a miserable cold…well, I´m the one being miserable 😦 And isn´t it lovely when you can let the fire go out…we have days when we don´t light it until evening (mind you, it´s much warmer here). Have fun rummaging in the junk!
I love a good junk yard, and poor you with a cold.. A spoonful of marmalade might just do the trick! c
This is going to be a lovely day. You are cooking dinner for me. You are hanging out the laundry. And you are taking us to the junkyard. I went with my husband to an auto salvage junkyard several years ago. The photo ops are fantastic. I assume “your” junkyard has more than wrecked vehicles. Can’t wait to see what you find there. Enjoy.
Nor can i audrey.. but the camera is coming along! c
What a lovely idea! I’ve never has honey lemon marmalade, definitely going to try this recipe!
Morning karista,it is a winner, today is fresh bread day so you can guess what we are having on it! c