Despite our best efforts, certain ingredients find themselves pigeonholed, pulled out for the same recipes and returned soon after to their place in the cupboard. Preserves can fall into that category, often being spread on toast or dolloped into tried and tested bakes and overlooked for more adventurous pursuits. It's a shame, given their huge potential to add new layers of flavour to bakes, roasts, sauces and much more. Marmalade is a great example of just that – it adds a tang of zesty sweetness to whatever you add it to (if you're looking for inspiration, you can peruse our collection of marmalade recipes here).

Preserves producer La Vieja Fábrica has been making marmalade for almost 200 years, using only the finest quality fruit and traditional recipes that have been passed down through the generations. They're a great choice, and would work with any of the recipes included on this list (you can pick up a jar from Ocado, Waitrose or its website). Below, you'll find both sweet and savoury options, hearty mains, sweet treats and more. You'll be polishing off your jar of marmalade in no time.

A fantastic recipe which shows marmalade's power in savoury cooking – Helen Graves uses it to add a touch of sweetness to her hearty game pie, which is also flavoured with bay, thyme, wine and stock and topped with an orange and parsley gremolata. Peak game season is under way or shortly will be, depending on the animal, so now's the perfect time to whip up this crowd-pleaser.

Sweet, citrusy marmalade and salty ham is a match made in heaven – Victoria Glass has brought the two together in this wonderful, clove-studded gammon recipe, which is incredibly simple to prepare. She gently heats marmalade, muscovado sugar and Dijon mustard to baste the ham. It's a versatile way to feed a crowd – check out our gammon recipe collection to find leftovers inspiration.

Urvashi Roe sandwiches marmalade between cooled pastry cases and a whirl of meringue, creating a sweet treat which only takes an hour to prepare and looks great. This recipe makes twelve – a perfect afternoon snack if you're having friends over (or if you're not and just have a sweet tooth!). 

Gabriel Waterhouse puts a playful twist on the classic hot cross bun in this recipe. The dough is based on a doughnut dough, and is filled with a mix of braised lamb, chutney and slow-cooked lyonnaise onions. The dish is pulled together with a marmalade glaze, which is brushed on the buns, creating a gorgeously sweet-meets-savoury starter or snack.

Though this Rachel Phipps recipe is a must-cook for cosy autumnal and wintry nights, it's fantastic whatever the season. The sweet, gooey, custardy bottom and the crisp, crunchy top is an ever-satisfying combination. Dark chocolate adds a tough of indulgence and marmalade a tang, while the brown bread stops the dessert becoming too sweet.

Marmalade is blitzed in a food processor with chillies, before being simmered with soy sauce, paprika, sugar and lemon juice to create a sweet and spicy glaze in our kebab recipe. It's then brushed over skewers of grilled and lightly-charred chicken thigh. Finally, they're served with a shaved fennel salad, hand-made flatbreads and a fragrant salsa.

Marcus Wareing fills his Jaffa cakes with marmalade and garnishes them with some of the peel. His version is a refined take on a classic – we think you'll be going home-made instead of nipping out to the shops from now on. A fantastic petit four recipe if you have a dinner party on the horizon and want to impress.

A New York-style cheesecake like you haven't seen before – Phil Howard's recipe delivers the buttery base and creamy filling we need, as well as a topping of zested citrus fruits, fennel, chilli flakes and thyme. It's served with a marmalade on the side, which has been mixed with a sloe gin, adding a zesty, spiced finish. 

Don't miss our full collection of marmalade recipes.