I don't remember where I got this recipe. The only credit I can take is for posting it originally.

The basic formula for marmalade is 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of fruit and liquid, so assuming you have 5 cups of cooked fruit it would be 5 cups of sugar. However, you can reduce the amount of sugar somewhat, but I wouldn't go lower than 2/3 cup sugar to a cup of prepped fruit.

The reason you're alternating is that you want the sugar to dissolve thoroughly, evenly and quickly. Undissolved sugar in preserves presents all kinds of problems. If you measure the cooked fruit mixture and dump the full amount of sugar into the pan with all the fruit and liquid on top of it, there's a risk you'll end up with undissolved sugar crystals or you'll overcook the marmalade waiting for the sugar to dissolve. Even distribution is just helpful.

Carol

Carol: thanks for your reply. The alternating sugar and fruit made sense, but I was unsure if the sugar was supposed to be adjusted or if the fruit was supposed to be exactly 5 cups, etc. I end up with 5 1/2 cups cooked fruit and used 4 3/4 cups sugar.

It tastes great (mixture of Valencias, navels and Meyer lemons). But it looks like I overcooked it as the cooled jam seems a little, um, rubbery. I went to get my thermometer out of the drawer and realized a neighbor still had it from their paneforte adventures at Christmas time. I was sure I could handle the cooking without it as I've not had problems with marmalades before. I used cold plates from the freezer and thought I was almost there. But it looks like was more than almost there. Also, I always have to make peace with the darker color when I use organic natural sugar. It's just not the same as the sparkling jewel tones when using white sugar.

I'm definitely doing this recipe again and have to figure out to avoid the overcooking. Thanks again for your help. Kristine

With a traditional preserve like this, if you think you might be there, then just cool the whole batch (covering with a cloth not a lid to prevent condensation dripping back into the preserve) and see what the consistency is when it's rested 24 hours or so.

If the preserve is where you want it to be, re-heat and bottle up. If it needs more cooking, cook a bit longer and then proceed with bottling.

Either way, you'll get a better sense of the final product. It's not a safety issue and does no harm to the preserve. (I am also using organic sugar more and more frequently; the flavor is so superior I can live with the darker color. I actually have one "dark marmalade" recipe which calls for some treacle - so a darker color isn't necessarily outside the norm.)

Carol

Hello Carol. I had read earlier today (since I need to learn more about avoiding overcooking) on another thread about stopping and cooling a batch to see if it's ready. Makes so much sense. But I'd never read about it or heard of it until today. Obviously not really a possibility for pectin jams (which I don't make). But you'd think that info should be more out there so that people can learn more about jell and set, from observation of their own batches. Best way to learn! Thanks for your thoughts, Kristine

If it's on this forum, I was probably the one who mentioned it on a previous thread. IIRC, that tip came from Alfeld's The Jamlady Cookbook. I got a lot of good foundational information from her. It's a book with a tremendous amount of info on pH, acidity, all the factors to consider in making sweet preserves. Actually, I value the book more for that than I do any particular recipe.

Carol