buy some powered pectin Anne it work wonders but add it near to the end of your final boil a teaspoon at a time, be careful not to add too much.

Cooked to the setting point: a touch of dribble.

I'm new to this. The batches of marmalade I have made, have no dribble. The liquid becomes like gelatin.

So the cues I'm using - bubbles and freeze plate - I must be interpreting them wrong.

What about color? I notice at some point in the boiling there is a sudden, big change in color - a faster and broader darkening.
Is this reaching setting point? Is it setting point?

Until I get a thermometer and I'm able to measure and find out - could you talk about changes in color throughout the process?

Also, what does it mean if the marmalade is dark/too dark? How to ensure a bright marmalde?

Thank you -

Great article! One question though: how long does it take to get to 220°? I made clementine marmelade with great success while living in upstate NY. Now that I'm in coastal Carolina I'm struggling with the same recipe. I didn't have a thermometer for my first batch and have never was great at the chilled plate test. I ended up reducing it til it was almost taffy. (I ended up softening it in hot water, spreading it between two canned Danish cookies and dipping them halfway into melted dark chocolate which was a hit.) Bought a thermometer but could not get it to go past 212°° and, after cooking it for over a half hour, and afraid I'd candy it again, took it off the heat and jarred it. 24 hours later it's still liquidy like thin syrup and there are still sugar crystals visible in it. Hoping you can help!

I'm glad you found this helpful!
I guess we need to think of cartoon fish, like the fish on the Simpsons 😉

I would just like to point out that, with reference to your description of bubbles, fish do not blink. Most of them don't even have eyelids.