If you are stuck with a surplus of mandarins or want to get in your daily dose of vitamin C, here are some traditional and out-of-the-box ideas to make the most of them, including their juices and even peels
Let's start with the name debate. This winter fruit that grows in Turkey is generally called mandarins, and tangerines and clementines are its different types. Clementines are the ones with bumpy skin, easier to peel and generally sweeter; meanwhile, tangerines have thinner skins, might be a bit tougher to peel and can be a touch on the sour side. This little detail is great to know to establish your preferences when consuming this little vitamin C bomb – one medium mandarin contains as much as 23.5 milligrams of the nutrient, making up a third of your daily required intake.
Personally, I am a tangerine fan and must say that they work the best for the recipes we'll cover here.
Jam or marmalade
We did talk previously about all the differences between jams, marmalades and the like here. But while we mostly focused on summer fruit, the same goes for winter fruit. Albeit slightly sour, a jam made out of mandarins will give a certain edge to your morning toast. Or try one of my favorite ways to use fruit preserves, by putting them between layers of vanilla cake. Any boring old cake can only profit from a flavorful addition like that.
To make mandarin jam, you'll first need to peel the fruit and cut them through the middle to remove any pips. Then run the fruit through a food processor or blender and add to a pot of your choice. Add a minimum of 1/10 of sugar to the mix (so, for 1 kilogram of fruit, you should add 100 grams of sugar) and bring that to boil while constantly stirring. Depending on your taste preferences, you can add more sugar, but skipping it entirely is not wise as sugar acts as a preservative. Once the mixture starts bubbling, turn down the heat and simmer the mixture until it starts to thicken. This might take 30-40 minutes. Once happy with the consistency, pour the mixture into sterilized jars and close them with clean and dry lids. When they cool off, they'll create a vacuum that makes it possible to store for several months (or even a year or two because you forget them in the back of the cupboard – but proceed with caution after such long periods).
A simple glazed cake
Who can say no to a simple cake topped off with a sugar glaze? It seems like the best companion to some afternoon tea or coffee, especially on cold days.