Difference Between Jam and Marmalade

Homemade marmalade

For many people, breakfast just isn't breakfast without their toast and jam. In this country, strawberry and raspberry jams are broadly favored, with local specialties holding sway in various fruit-producing regions. In Britain and some of her former colonies, the same role is played by citrus-based marmalade, a similar spread.

Sugar, Acidity and Pectin

The cell walls of fruits and berries contain a carbohydrate called pectin, which helps provide structure to the fruit. When the fruits are crushed and heated, the bonds holding the pectin molecules together break down, leaving them floating freely through the mashed fruit. If enough acidity is present, a quantity of sugar is added and some of the water boiled away, the pectin molecules can reestablish their bonds and form a soft gel with the fruit. This is how jams, jellies and marmalade work.

Jams

Jams are made with the flesh and juice of the fruit, as opposed to jellies, which are made with only the juice. Most are made entirely of a single fruit or berry, though high-pectin fruits such as apples or quinces are sometimes added to help gel the mixture. The availability of purified commercial pectin has made this less common. A well-made jam gels to a soft and easily spreadable texture, but is too thick to be runny.

Marmalade

Marmalade was originally made by boiling slices of quince in syrup to make a thick, jamlike consistency. Over time the tart quinces were replaced by thin strips of peel from bitter Seville oranges, which are also high in pectin. The slight bitterness of the citrus peel provides a pleasant foil to the sweetness of the spread, while the orange peels provide a pleasant fragrance and flavor. Sweet oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit can all be used to make marmalade, though they may need additional quantities of pectin.

The Difference Between Jam and Marmalade

Both jam and marmalade are made by cooking fruit in a sugar syrup, and in each case the end result is a sweet spread for use on breads or other baked goods. The sole significant difference between the two is that jam is made from whole fruit or berries, while marmalade is made only from the strongly flavored peels of the citrus fruit. Marmalade's more complex flavor and slight bitter edge make it appealing to some palates, while others prefer the purity and simplicity of jam.

References

• "On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen"; Harold S. McGee; 2004
• "The American Woman's Cookbook, Wartime Victory Edition"; Ruth Berolzheimer (Ed.); 1944
• University of Minnesota Extension; Making Jams, Marmalades, Preserves, and Conserves; Isabel D. Wolf et al.; 2009
• National Center for Home Food Preservation: Making Jams and Jellies