I worked on a historical farm when I was a teenager, in the Tea Room. It remains my favorite job. The old house was turned into a museum of sorts, and the barn next to it became a gift shop and upstairs there was a tea room. There is probably nothing that speaks to my soul more than the whistle of a tea kettle. I could go on about that, but I’ll leave it for another day.
In the tea house they sold Rose’s Lime Marmalade. I had never heard of such a thing, but I guess if you’re English you would. It is divine and fills my never ending craving for citrus flavor. I’ve tried for years to make my own version at home but no luck. But today? Today my friends, I finally did it. The right balance of acid and pectin and perfection. When it started to gel in the pot my heart skipped a beat. It tastes like summer in a tea house, with a tea kettle whistling… an open window overlooking a farm… A new favorite I know I will be making for many years to come. If you don’t want to can this, you could certainly freeze in containers as freezer jam.
I won’t get into canning basics, but if you aren’t up to date on current safety techniques, please review at the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
I used my favorite pectin here, Pomona’s Universal Pectin (which has the calcium powder to make the calcium water in the recipe and also the pectin in each box.). I really like this pectin because you can use lower sugar or even honey, make up to a quadruple batch (normally you can only do one batch of jam at a time with other pectins) and is my personal favorite.
Now go make some, and spread it on a crumpet, scone, or even some toast… and close your eyes and think of tea kettles. 🙂
LIME JELLY
Makes 5 half pints (and a little extra)
2 cups lime juice
2 cups water
3 tsp calcium water
3 cups sugar
4 tsp Pomona’s pectin powder
zest of 4 limes (I wanted a little bigger fleck of zest so I left the microplane in the drawer and used my old-school zester.)
Put the lime juice, water, and calcium water in a pot.
Combine the sugar and pectin powder in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
Bring the juice mixture in the pot to a boil over medium to medium high heat.
Add the sugar mixture and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin and sugar.
When it comes back to a boil remove from the heat and stir in zest.
Fill half pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
Wipe rims, top with lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 cups lime juice
- 2 cups water
- 3 tsp calcium water
- 3 cups sugar
- 4 tsp Pomona’s pectin powder
- zest of 4 limes
Instructions
- Put the lime juice, water, and calcium water in a pot.
- Combine the sugar and pectin powder in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Bring the juice mixture in the pot to a boil over medium to medium high heat.
- Add the sugar mixture and stir for 1 to 2 minutes to dissolve the pectin and sugar.
- When it comes back to a boil remove from the heat and stir in zest.
- Fill half pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, top with lids and rings. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
