Clementine and Cardamom Jam (French Small-Batch Recipe)

Clementine & Cardamom is for those who think they don’t like marmalade. Clementines make an exceptionally bright clementine jam, softer and sweeter than traditional marmalade.

Clementines bring softness and natural sweetness, while cardamom adds warmth rather than spice — a quiet depth that lifts the citrus without overpowering it. Made the French way, the fruit is allowed to rest and release its juices before cooking, reducing bitterness and preserving clarity of flavour.

This is not a sharp, breakfast-only marmalade. It’s gentle, aromatic, and balanced — equally at home on toast, spooned into yoghurt, or served alongside warm pastries.

Like all good citrus jams, it rewards patience. The waiting is part of what makes it different.

Ingredients

(makes about 5-6 jars)

1 kg (2 lb 4 oz / 8 cups) clementines, peeled and chopped

800 g (1 lb 12 oz / 4 cups) golden caster sugar

1.5 litres (2½ pints / 6 cups) water

Juice and zest of 3 lemons

6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed and tied in muslin

Method

• Place the chopped clementines, water, lemon juice and zest, and the cardamom pods in their muslin bag in a preserving pan. Bring gently to a simmer and cook for 40–50 minutes, until the fruit is tender and translucent.
• Remove the cardamom bag, then add the sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until completely dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly until the jam reaches 104°C / 220°F, or until a soft gel forms on a chilled plate.
• Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes to allow the fruit to settle evenly.
• Ladle into warm, sterilised jars and seal immediately. Invert for 2 minutes, then return upright.
  
  

Serving suggestion: A golden, delicately spiced jam that captures the warmth of winter sunshine. Fragrant with citrus and cardamom, it’s delicious on porridge or toasted brioche — or spooned through Greek yoghurt for breakfast.

If this felt like your kind of pace, you may enjoy Notes from the Jam Kitchen — seasonal notes and small observations, written in step with the year.

Joining includes The Five Principles of French Jam Making, a 10-page downloadable PDF.