This is an easy Mandarin Jam Recipe (or Mandarin Marmalade) that will come in very handy when mandarins are in abundance.
Why Mandarin Jam?
This Mandarin Jam will brighten up your breakfast time.
Whether you prefer toast, croissants or crumpets, homemade Mandarin Jam is the perfect accompaniment – and I can certainly vouch for the croissant and jam option!
It's also an easy-ish recipe and solves the dilemma of what to do when you have lots of mandarins.
When mandarins come into season, they sure make their presence known.
I often see many trees around the neighbourhood, loaded with fruit that sometimes goes uneaten, and there's an abundance of affordable fruit in supermarkets.
Mandarins are so easy to eat, with their perfect packaging and pull-apart segments, that they often are thought of as a lunch box food only.
There are plenty of ways to enjoy mandarins in cooking, both sweet and savoury, and the skin can even be dried and used to infuse flavour in dishes.
Today, though, we're making Mandarin Jam!
Recipe for Mandarin Marmalade
I started with Nana Ling's original Mandarin Jam recipe dated July 1941, but have updated it quite significantly.
So please keep scrolling right until the end to find the recipe card with the updated ingredient list and instructions.
The original recipe contains 9 cups of sugar. Whoa!
But after checking other recipes, I discovered the fruit to sugar ratio was correct.
I did, however, cut down all of the quantities to so the recipe makes one large jar of jam.
If you have heaps of mandarins and want to make more, just multiply the recipe accordingly.
So, ready to jam?
The ingredients for Mandarin Jam
You'll need the following to make up this Mandarin Marmalade:
- about 4-5 mandarins
- ½ lemon
- water
- jam setting sugar.
Keep scrolling to the end of the post for exact quantities.
Which mandarins make the best jam?
All mandarins will make lovely jam, but those that are easy to peel with less seeds will make the process so much easier.
If you're planning to make jam, these two varieties are good options:
- Sumo: seedless, sweet, large and easy to peel.
- Imperial: few seeds, easy to peel and readily available.
This recipe calls for 2 ½ cups of chopped mandarin, which is roughly 4-5 mandarins.
Here, I've used Imperial mandarins since they were readily available.
How to make Mandarin Jam
First you'll need to prepare your jam jar or jars.
Sterilise jam jars by placing in the dishwasher on the hottest cycle and allowing to air dry.
The next step is to chop your fruit.
Remove loose pith as you go along with seeds. Rest assured that any stray seeds will float to the top during boiling and can be removed.
You then add the water and boil for just 10 minutes.
Next, add the sugar.
We use jam setting sugar in this recipe as it makes the whole process so much easier.
Stir a little to dissolve the sugar and then bring to the boil again. Within 15-20 minutes your jam will be ready.
Working out when the jam has jellied can be tricky. If you're new to the process, check out my post on how to tell when jam is set for some detailed instructions on getting it right.
Love jams and marmalades?
Check out the strawberry, fig, lemon, rosella, peach and tomato jam recipes, too!
Mandarin Jam
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups mandarin (peeled and roughly chopped and seeded) (about 4-5 mandarins)
- ½ lemon (peeled, chopped and seeded)
- 2 cups water
- 500 grams jam setting sugar
Instructions
- Peel mandarins, removing loose pith.
- Chop mandarins roughly (breaking up segments into 4 or 5 pieces), removing any seeds. You can also remove any stray seeds later as they float to the top during boiling.
- Place chopped mandarins into saucepan and add the lemon (also peeled, chopped and seeded).
- Add water and place over heat. Bring to the boil and continue to boil uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Add the sugar and continue to boil until the mixture jellies. This should take about 15-25 minutes, depending on the fruit and temperature. When ready, the mixture will start to thicken a little, turn a pale golden colour and will "grab" just slightly to the bottom of the saucepan when you stir the mixture.
- Remember to use jam setting sugar!
- Pour hot jam into a large sterilised jar. Seal with the lid and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate and enjoy for up to one month.
Marianne
Hi Libby, I just found your recipe when I googled mandarin marmalade. I noticed that the skin isn't used, have you tried it with the skin? Can it be done?
Libby Hakim
Hi Marianne - yes, am sure this would be great and I'd like to try it myself. My Mandarin Cake uses the skin in the recipe. Happy cooking!
Simon
Hey I took a look at a few jam recipes and I think you have too much water in your recipe. 2 cups is far too much for the amount of fruit you have. Other jams like strawberry jam asks for 1/2 cup of water with 1.5 kg of strawberries. I've used the 2 cup of water and it's far too much. 1. 5 hours so far on boil and it's still reducing. I will try this recipe again with a 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water next time as I've put in 3 cups of mandarins. Tastes amazing though I'm at the final stages of it reducing. Another tip is you can buy sugar cheap and then buy the pectin sugar separately it saves a bunch compared to buying the jam sugar packets . I have used Jamsetta which is 50/50 white sugar and pectin.
Libby Hakim
Thanks for the feedback, Simon! This is one I'll be re-visiting in the next few weeks and re-cooking, so will take your comments on board during the process. Happy cooking!
Samuel Oladipo Ibitoye
Beautiful
Libby Hakim
Thanks! Enjoy 🙂
Jan
I just got around to making the mandarin jam (or marmalade!) and it worked out beautifully, with one '500g peanut butter jar' and 2 'small vegemite jars' of beautifully clear jam with just the right amount of gel. I am most impressed.
However, just to check I took to the thermometer when it was starting to look and feel right and the temperature was 105.5 degrees C which is about right. Two things though to emphasise - when cooking with water and no sugar, it must simmer and not boil. After adding the sugar, it needs brisk cooking and stand by to avoid disaster if your pot is too small. Jam is also a chemical process and the sugar amount is very important. Do not try to change the recipe!
Clare Ellen Shrimpton
Hi there again jam makers.
Forgot to say this jam turned out well, a little pulpy to look at but delicious. So much better than letting the birds have all my lovely mandarines.
Libby
Hi Clare - yes, forget the birds lol!! Glad it worked.
Clare Ellen Shrimpton
Hi there
This recipe worked for me but it was a little tricky.I have been making jam for 30 years and had my fair share of disasters. Whatever you do don't give up!
Every element of jam making,sugar to fruit ratio, type of heating device, shape of the pot, water added, quality of the fruit, available pectin but most of all cooking time can be different for each cook and have a huge impact on the final jam.
Libby
Hi Clare - yes, this is all so true. It's hard to have a recipe for things like jam and sponge cakes. It really is something that takes a little trial and error. Thanks again for your comments. Libby
Nancy
Can you process the jam jars in a hot water bath so they can be stored longer?
Libby
Yes, you can. Happy cooking!
Nancy
@Libby, I looked everywhere for jam setting sugar and cannot find it even on line. Should I use liquid pectin? I plan to process this in a water bath. It looks very nice. Thanks.
Libby
Hi Nancy. Yes, just use the liquid pectin in the quantity indicated on the packet. Good luck!
Maria Aloe
Hi Libby
I would like to make this jam. Could l use regular white sugar and some mandarin peel?
Libby
Hi Maria. You could try (and perhaps use the seeds too in some cloth and discard later) however this recipe is tested using jam-setting sugar only rather than more traditional methods of making jam.
Leanne
I made this recipe as above except after adding sugar I boiled for about 25 mins. Turned out great. Love this recipe
Libby
Thanks Leanne. So pleased you love the recipe. I might add a note in the cooking instructions re: the cooking time. It really depends so much on the fruit and how hard it's boiling. Enjoy your jam!
Jacqui
Hi @Libby,
My jam ended up just being mandarin soup - there was way too much water. I then looked at other recipes and found that water is often added to jam. I'm wondering if this is a mistake?
Cheers,
Jacqui
Libby
Hi Jacqui. It's hard to give precise instructions for jam and marmalade because so much depends on the fruit. But I've cooked this one up several times, including recently, with success. I'm not sure what you mean by "I then looked at other recipes and found that water is often added to jam"? You add the water and fruit and boil and then add the sugar and continue to boil with this recipe, similar to other recipes. Did you add the correct amount of sugar? Was it jam setting sugar? Presuming you followed all of the quantities and steps correctly, the only thing that could be wrong is that you didn't boil it enough. Just pop it back into the saucepan and cook it more. I try to describe what the jam looks like once it's cooked enough in the instructions as this is the best way to get the right result. Unfortunately times are only a guide for jam-making. Good luck!
Christine Adams
I made this jam exactly as you stated and as a previous person commented, all the water disappeared and only had fruit left. Although, adding sugar actually made more liquid. I did not have the quantity of jam sugar that you suggested, only three cups. Cooking for the time you suggested, 15 minutes, I am left with a wonderful tasting hard jelly, more like a lolly than jam. I will try again but will use more fruit and less sugar, possible equal parts fruit/sugar less 20%. Have not a clue as to what I am doing but, is this what cooking is all about?
Libby
Hi Christine. I haven't had a chance to re-test this, but I will do it in the next week I hope. It's strange because I'd had very good feedback before your comment and the earlier comment. Perhaps it's because you didn't have the required amount of jamming sugar? It is hard with jam to have a recipe with quantities as fruit will vary so much. But as I say I'll try it again and please let me know how you go if you have another attempt. Libby
Kate
@Libby, I had the same issue regarding water running out! The final product is also more like a mandarin toffee... Tastes lovely, with a toffee aftertaste and has a semi jellied texture. It will still taste lovely on crumpets etc but not worth jarring up sadly!
Libby
So sorry Kate - I have re-cooked and changed the recipe and am very happy with the result. I will be uploading it in the next day or two. This was one I cooked up and tested a couple of years ago - I've learnt a lot since then. Hoping you might be able to try the new recipe. Libby x
Libby
Hi Kate. Just letting you know that I've re-tested and updated this recipe. Thanks again for your feedback. Libby
Libby
Hi Christine. Just letting you know that I've re-tested and updated this recipe. Thanks again for your feedback. Libby
Leanne Australia
Boiling for 1 hour left no water left just the fruit . Advice please ??
Libby
Hi Leeanne. Jam making is tricky as the process and cooking time can depend on the fruit you use. After boiling for one hour the fruit should have broken down, too. Perhaps it was boiling too hard? I'm going to cook this again and review the recipe directions to make it easier to follow and find success.
Libby
Hi Leanne. Just letting you know that I've re-tested and updated this recipe. Thanks again for your feedback. Libby
Libby
Hi Leanne. Just letting you know that I've re-tested and updated this recipe. Thanks again for your feedback. Libby
Sofy
@Leanne Australia, it says to boil it for only 10 minutes, add sugar and then boil for 15-25min.... The old recipe said to boil for an hour, but she isn't using that one.Use the new recipe
suzanne allen
Your Jam recipe is absolutely wonderful. I have given jars of it to several family members and everyone wants a refill. Thank you for such a beautiful recipe. I am making it again for the second time.
Libby
Hi Suzanne. So thrilled to hear this! You've made my day 🙂 I love this recipe too and make my own jam all the time now. Thanks so much for commenting. Libby x