Blood Orange and Meyer Marmalade

So my birthday is just around the corner...and as I plan for my annual dinner party I was thinking about desserts.  I already decided on making homemade ice cream with  my killer Honey Butter Sauce (like butterscotch sauce) but I have a few friends who are dairy free.  I was recently inspired by another blogger who shared a Marmalade Cake recipe.

I never knew marmalade cake existed!

So for my other dessert option I'll be making a Marmalade Cake (I also think it will hold 27 candles better than a bowl of ice cream).

My last attempt at making orange marmalade ended so sadly...I burned it!

This attempt, thankfully was a success! I used up all of Meyer Lemons I had left and the blood oranges that I didn't polish off last week (such a great snack!).

Blood Orange and Meyer Marmalade

6 cups of fruit: 8 meyer lemons (varying sizes) and 4 blood oranges
*something to note: for marmalade the ratio is 1:1:1, fruit, water, and sugar.  So if you only have 3 cups of lemons/oranges that's fine.  Then you'll use 3 cups water and 3 cups sugar
6 cups water
5 1/4 cups sugar (I was playing with lowering the sugar.  I got a good set with this amount of sugar)

Prepare your canning pot and jars.  Keep them warm until you are ready to add the fruit mixture.

Wash fruit.  Slice off the ends and cut in half.  Then cut a triangle into the fruit to remove the center pith and seeds.  Set these to the side because you will place it in a cheese cloth pouch and add to the pot of fruit.  It helps with the set of the Marmalade.

Then cut fruit in half, length wise again and thinly slice little triangles.

Add fruit to large pot with equal amount of water (in my case 6 cups).  Also add cheese cloth bag of center membrane and seeds.  Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 20-30 minutes.  

Remove cheese cloth bag and add sugar.  Stir and bring to a full boil.  Lower heat to medium and cook stirring often until the mixture reaches 220 degrees.  This will take around 45 minutes.  Keep stirring or else you'll be like me last time and have burnt marmalade.   

Fill jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids.  

Process for 10 minutes from the time the water starts to boil.  

Test to make sure the lids have sealed after 24 hours. 

Enjoy with in 1 year.  

Stay tuned for that Marmalade Cake!