Article: Orange marmalade: bitter or sweet? History, differences and our recipe
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Orange marmalade: bitter or sweet? History, differences and our recipe
Classic English marmalade is made with bitter oranges (the Seville kind); the one we make in Valencia — and the one made in our house — with sweet oranges: less sugar, more fruit, and the taste of freshly picked oranges. Neither is "the real one": they are two traditions. Here are their differences, their history and a full recipe.
A little history: from Seville to Scotland
The bitter orange reached Spain with the Arabs centuries before the sweet one, and for a long time it was the orange. Ships carried it from Seville to Britain, and there — legend points to Dundee, in Scotland — English marmalade was born: bitter, with strips of peel, dense and dark. So thoroughly did they adopt it that "Seville oranges" remains, in English, shorthand for marmalade oranges.
In the Valencian huerta the story went differently: here the sweet table orange triumphed, and marmalade was made at home with the fruit of the family grove — whatever there was, which was sweet and glorious. That is the tradition we come from.
Bitter or sweet: the real differences
| Bitter orange marmalade | Sweet orange marmalade | |
|---|---|---|
| Orange | Bitter or "Seville" (inedible raw) | Table/juice orange (Navel, Navelina…) |
| Flavour | Marked bitterness, perfumed depth | Fresh orange flavour, natural sweetness |
| Sugar needed | A lot: up to 1:1 with the fruit, to tame the bitterness | Less: the fruit brings its own sweetness |
| Texture | Dense, dark, with strips of peel | Lighter and fruitier |
| Tradition | British (Dundee, 18th century) | Mediterranean — of home and grove |
| For whom | Seasoned palates; toast and butter | Everyone — breakfast, yogurt, cheese, baking |
Ours: no peel, plenty of pulp — and a secret recipe
Let's be honest here: we are not going to share the recipe of our marmalade. It is ours, with the house's own proportions and tricks. We can give away just two things: it has no peel and a great deal of pulp — which is why it tastes of freshly squeezed orange before it tastes of sugar. It is made with the grove's sweet oranges, the same ones we ship in our boxes. You can try it here.
Want to make it at home? A basic recipe to start with
What follows is not ours — it is a classic, well-tested home recipe for sweet orange marmalade, for anyone taking their first steps. One practical note: this recipe does use the peel, so the oranges must be unwaxed and free of post-harvest treatments — with waxed supermarket oranges, you shouldn't use the peel at all.
Ingredients (for about 500 g):
- 1.1 kg sweet oranges in season
- 500 g sugar
- 550 ml water
- The peel of half a lemon (the yellow part only, no pith)
- Freshly sterilised glass jars with lids
Step by step:
- Wash the oranges and peel the zest thinly (no pith — it turns bitter). Cut it into fine strips.
- Boil the strips for 10 minutes in plenty of water; drain, change the water and boil 1 minute more. This double blanching removes the bitterness and leaves only the perfume.
- Cut the segments free of all possible pith; work over a plate so you don't lose a drop of juice.
- Bring the 550 ml of water to the boil with the sugar; add the segments, their juice, the blanched strips and the lemon peel.
- Simmer over medium heat for 45–60 minutes, stirring now and then, until it thickens. The cold-plate trick: a drop on a fridge-cold plate — if it doesn't run, it's ready.
- Jar while hot, close, and stand the jars upside down for 10 minutes to seal. Unopened it keeps for months; once open, 2–3 weeks in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
Which oranges are used for marmalade?
It depends on the tradition: the English one uses bitter Seville oranges; the Mediterranean one, sweet table oranges. What is non-negotiable is that the orange be unwaxed, because the peel is part of the marmalade.
Why is English marmalade bitter?
Because it is made with bitter oranges, a variety not eaten raw. Their natural bitterness, tamed with sugar, is exactly what its devotees have prized since the 18th century.
Does sweet orange marmalade need less sugar?
Yes, it can: with no bitterness to offset, sweet fruit lets you cut the sugar and keep the orange in the leading role. It is the difference you notice most when tasting them side by side.
Can I use supermarket oranges for marmalade?
You can — but if they are waxed or treated after harvest you shouldn't use the peel, and without peel the marmalade loses half its character. Look for untreated oranges; ours travel from the tree to your home without waxes.
Does CitrusRicus marmalade contain peel?
No. Ours is made without peel and with plenty of sweet-orange pulp from the grove — the house's own (and secret) recipe. That's why the first taste is orange, not sugar or bitterness.
How long does homemade marmalade keep?
Properly vacuum-sealed in sterilised jars, several months in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep it in the fridge and use within 2–3 weeks.
If you'd rather open the jar straight away: our orange marmalade, made with the sweet oranges of a grove five generations deep. And if you take on the recipe: the box of oranges arrives unwaxed, with a peel you can actually use.