Most mornings, I have homemade yogurt with a swirl of fruit and a sprinkle of granola for breakfast. Sometimes, the fruit is something fresh I have on hand, but I also like adding a spoon or two of a favored jam or preserve. And no option gives me more joy than this peach marmalade.
In fact, because this is my favorite way to enjoy this marmalade, I tend to leave the fruit pretty chunky. Since spreading it on toast is one of the less frequent ways I use it, a chunkier version is well-suited to being added to yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, or even barbecue sauce. But if you are a marmalade on toast or scones kinda person, feel free to chop your peaches finer and/or crush the pieces more as you stir it on the stove. Likewise, feel free to add a bit more sugar if you find this not sweet enough or up the amount of lemon juice to give it more tang. It is a pretty forgiving recipe in this way.
It also makes a great gift. If I'm not using a lot of marmalade at once or giving it away, I will pop the extra jars into the freezer for longer term storage. Just make sure you leave expansion space at the top of your jars and use both jars and lids suitable for deep freezing. Then look forward to the taste of summer even when the snow is piling up outside!
Peach Marmalade
- 4 lb. peaches
- 2 medium oranges (or one large)
- 2 ½ c. sugar
- 2 T. lemon juice
Carefully drop the peaches into a pot of boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Lift out the peaches, empty the water and run the peaches under cold water. Slip the skins off the peaches. Use small knife to peel any stubborn spots. Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits. Slice or chop into smaller pieces - the smaller your pieces, the more homogeneous your marmalade will be.
Zest an orange and set aside the peel. I like to use a vegetable peel and take part sections of peel off and chop it finer using a paring knife. Peel the orange(s) and chop the segments into small pieces. You should have about 1 cup of chopped orange when you're done.
Place the peaches, zest, oranges, sugar, and lemon juice in a large, heavy-bottomed pot.
Bring the mixture to medium high heat and to a boil. Lower the heat to about medium heat and simmer for 15-22 minutes (depending on how loose or thick you like your marmalade), stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom and pressing the peaches against the side of the pot to break them up if you want a more spreadable marmalade. The amount of time will depend on speed of your simmer and the size of your pot.
If you have a candy thermometer, look for a temperature of 210-220°F. If you don't, scoop up some of the marmalade with a spoon and let it drip off the spoon. If it drips off very quickly, cook it some more. If it drips slowly and coats the spoon, it's done.
Pour the finished marmalade into jars that have been run through the dishwasher or washed in very hot water. Cool, then cover tightly and store in the fridge.
- Yields: About 5 cups
- Preparation Time: About an hour