Margarita Marmalade

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• 6 -7 medium limes
• 3 cups sugar (about)
• 3 tablespoons tequila, preferably silver
• 1 tablespoon triple sec or 1 tablespoon cointreau liqueur

Recipe

• 1 zest the limes, measuring 6 tablespoons to ½ cup lightly packed lime peel (the strips of peel should be no wider than about ¼ inch).
• 2 using a sharp knife, peel off the pith from the limes and discard it.
• 3 chop lime fruit, eliminating the seeds; measure 1 1/3 cups of pulp.
• 4 place the zest in a heavy nonreactive saucepan; cover with water.
• 5 bring to a boil over high heat; boil 1 minute, and pour off water.
• 6 add the chopped pulp and 3 cups water to the pan; let the mixture stand, lightly covered, for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours.
• 7 sterilize 3 half-pint canning jars.
• 8 bring the mixture to a boil; boil until the fruit and zest are tender (about 10 minutes).
• 9 measure the fruit and its liquid and add an equal amount of sugar.
• 10 bring the mixture back to a full rolling boil; boil until it gels, which may be as little as 3 minutes more since it is already hot.
• 11 spoon a teaspoon of the marmalade onto a chilled saucer; let the mixture sit for about 10 seconds, then tip the sauce of bit; if the liquid separates and runs like water across the plate, it is not done yet.
• 12 test every minute or two, until the marmalade holds a soft shape.
• 13 stir in the tequila and triple sec.
• 14 pour the marmalade into the jars, leaving at least ¼ inch headspace.
• 15 cover, cool, and refrigerate, or process in a boiling-water bath for longer storage.
• 16 store upside down for the first few hours to help distribute the fruit evenly.
• 17 it takes at least several hours for the marmalade to set up.
• 18 it keeps refrigerated for several weeks.