This is not a jam and it’s not a marmalade — it’s something better. A soft, spoonable citrus paste that sits beautifully on a cheeseboard, scooped into a small ramekin and left small knife, for people to help themselves. It is exceptional with blue cheese as well as with soft cheeses. The flavour is intensely citrusy, not too sweet, with the added surprise of finger lime pearls (optional) that burst with fresh acid in every mouthful. It came about as a way to use a glut of late-season tangelos, and it’s already outperforming the 2023 marmalade that’s been sitting in the pantry ever since.

TANGELO AND FINGER LIME PASTE

This paste is not shelf stable at pantry temperatures — the sugar concentration is lower than traditional jam. Store in the fridge and use within 4–6 weeks, or freeze unopened jars for up to 12 months.

Ingredients

• 9 large tangelos (approximately 1.7 kg prepped weight of the flesh and juice after zesting, juicing and deseeding)
• 2 limes, zested and juiced
• 1.3 kg caster sugar (adjust to taste — see Notes)
• Finger lime pearls, to stir through at the end (optional but highly recommended)

Method

1. Wash and scrub the tangelos well, Scrub Daddy works well. Using a potato peeler or sharp peeler, remove the zest from all tangelos, taking just the coloured outer layer and leaving the white pith behind. Place zest into a food processor.
2. Juice all the tangelos using an electric juicer — tip all the juice and any expelled pulp into the food processor with the zest. Do the same with the limes. Deseed if needed — large seed clusters can be picked out at this stage.
3. Blitz the zest, pulp and juice together in the food processor until the zest is broken down a bit. It won’t be completely smooth and that’s fine — some texture is part of the character of this paste.
4. Weigh the blitzed mixture. This is your working weight for calculating sugar.
5. Tip into a large heavy-based pot and bring to a slow simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly. Cook uncovered for approximately 1 hour, until the zest is completely tender and the mixture has reduced noticeably. Stir frequently to prevent catching on the base.
6. When the zest is soft and the mixture well reduced, add the sugar gradually, stirring to dissolve between additions. Taste as you go — late-season fruit is sweeter and may need less sugar. Add citric acid or a squeeze of fresh lime juice at this point if the paste needs more tartness (can be necessary with late season fruit).
7. Continue to cook, stirring regularly, until the paste is thick and jammy and a spoonful holds its shape on a cold plate without spreading too much. It will not set firm like jam — it should remain spoonable.
8. Remove from heat. Stir through finger lime pearls if using — do this off the heat so the pearls retain their texture and appearance.
9. Pour into sterilised jars. To sterilise: warm clean jars in the oven at 150°C for 15 minutes, or run through a hot dishwasher cycle. Seal immediately. Store in the fridge once cool.

Notes

Sugar ratio: This recipe uses approximately 75% sugar by weight of the prepped fruit mixture (3:4 ratio). Late-season tangelos are noticeably sweeter and flatter than peak-season fruit — adjust sugar down if your fruit is sharp and flavoursome. Always taste before committing to the full quantity.

Tartness: If your tangelos lack acid punch (common late in the season), limes added during cooking make a significant difference. A teaspoon of citric acid dissolved in a little water, added just before the end of cooking, gives a clean acid hit without adding more liquid.

Finger limes: Stir the pearls through off the heat just before jarring. They add fresh bursts of acid and look spectacular. Leave them out if you don’t have them — the paste stands alone perfectly well.

Using frozen pre-cooked tangelos: If you have whole tangelos that have been boiled and frozen (as for tangelo cake), thaw completely, deseed, and blitz skin, pulp and all — skip the 1-hour simmer and go straight to the sugar stage, cooking down to the right consistency from there.

Other citrus: Blood oranges, cumquats, or a mix of whatever is on the tree all work well with this method. Cumquats will be more bitter and may need slightly more sugar.

Storage: Refrigerate after opening, use within 4–6 weeks. Freeze unopened jars for up to 12 months. This paste is not shelf stable at room temperature.

Serving: Scoop into a small ramekin and serve alongside a cheeseboard. Pairs particularly well with aged cheddar, a sharp blue, or a creamy brie.