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Citrus Fruit Pates on a glass platter

Homemade Fruit Jellies

This recipe for homemade fruit jellies features three flavors: lemon and rosemary; kumquat and vanilla; and blood orange. Try all three, or try making your own flavor combinations and call it by the French name if you're feeling fancy: Pâte!

Ingredients

Base Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp butter I used salted, but unsalted will work as well
  • 2 pouches liquid pectin I’ve tried others and Certo is the best!

Lemon and Rosemary Ingredients

  • 1 whole Meyer Lemon
  • 1 1/3 cups Meyer Lemon Juice add some standard lemon for more tartness
  • 1 sprig Rosemary

Kumquat and Vanilla Ingredients

  • 30+ kumquats Should equal 1 1/2 cups of juice when cooked and processed. You may end up adding some water.
  • 1/2 vanilla bean

Blood Orange Ingredients

  • 1 whole blood orange
  • 1 1/3 cups blood orange juice You can combine juicing oranges and blood oranges.

Instructions

Lemon and Rosemary Instructions

  • In a sauce pan of boiling water, cook the Meyer lemon for about 10 seconds. This will soften the skin, which will be used in the recipe. Cut off the ends and discard. Cut the cooked fruit into sections.
  • In a food processor finely chop the cut up Meyer lemon. Add the 1 1/3 cups of Meyer lemon juice and process until the desired texture. I like mine with some bits of rind and my husband likes his smooth. If you want the pâte to be perfectly smooth you can strain the mixture at this point.
  • Add the Meyer lemon, sugar and rosemary sprig to a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling you will cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Half way through, add the butter and continue to cook. Be sure to stir constantly and make sure it doesn’t boil over. You may have to adjust the temperature as you cook.
  • Once the mixture has cooked for the full 5 minutes turn off the heat, remove the rosemary sprig and add the Certo. Stir until well combined. Pour into prepared baking dish. Let sit at room temperature until completely set, about 2 hours.
  • Cut with a sharp knife or cookie cutter and roll in sugar to serve. Can be served cold or at room temperature. Keeps for a few days in the refrigerator.

Kumquat and Vanilla Instructions

  • In a sauce pan of boiling water, cook the kumquats for about 10 seconds. This will soften the skin of the fruit, and remove some of the bitterness. Add the whole cooked fruit to a food processor and blend until well broken up.
  • Press through a strainer to get out the seeds and the rind. You may have to add some water or orange juice to get up to 1 1/2 cups of juice.
  • Add the juice and the sugar to a medium size sauce pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling you will cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Halfway through, add the butter and continue to cook. Be sure to stir constantly and make sure it doesn't boil over. You may have to adjust the temperature as you cook.
  • Once the mixture has cooked for the full 5 minutes turn off the heat and add the Certo. Stir until well combined. Pour into prepared baking dish. Let sit at room temperature until completely set, about 2 hours.
  • Cut with a sharp knife or cookie cutter and roll in sugar to serve. Can be served cold or at room temperature. Keeps for a few days in the refrigerator.
  • In a sauce pan of boiling water cook the whole orange for about 10 seconds. This will soften the skin of the orange, which will be used in the recipe.
  • Cut off the ends and discard. Cut the cooked fruit into sections.
  • In a food processor finely chop the cut up orange. Add the 1 1/3 cups of blood orange and process until the desired texture. I like mine with some bits of rind and my husband likes his smooth. If you want the pâte to be perfectly smooth you can strain the mixture at this point.
  • Add the orange and the sugar to a medium size sauce pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling you will cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Half way through add the butter and continue to cook. Be sure to stir constantly and make sure it doesn’t boil over. You may have to adjust the temperature as you cook.
  • Stir until well combined. Pour into prepared baking dish. Let sit at room temperature until completely set, about 2 hours.
  • Cut with a sharp knife or cookie cutter and roll in sugar to serve. Can be served cold or at room temperature. Keeps for a few days in the refrigerator.

Blood Orange Instructions

  • In a sauce pan of boiling water cook the whole orange for about 10 seconds. This will soften the skin of the orange, which will be used in the recipe.
  • Cut off the ends and discard. Cut the cooked fruit into sections.
  • In a food processor finely chop the cut up orange. Add the 1 1/3 cups of blood orange and process until the desired texture. I like mine with some bits of rind and my husband likes his smooth. If you want the pâte to be perfectly smooth you can strain the mixture at this point.
  • Add the orange and the sugar to a medium size sauce pot and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling you will cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Half way through add the butter and continue to cook. Be sure to stir constantly and make sure it doesn’t boil over. You may have to adjust the temperature as you cook.
  • Stir until well combined. Pour into prepared baking dish. Let sit at room temperature until completely set, about 2 hours.
  • Cut with a sharp knife or cookie cutter and roll in sugar to serve. Can be served cold or at room temperature. Keeps for a few days in the refrigerator.