Making Marmalade

As promised last week, a little later than intended, but finally here is a great marmalade recipe.

Marmalade

This is an easy marmalade recipe that works well with any of the suggested fruit. I have made 5 fruit (using blood oranges, bitter oranges, lime, lemon and bergamot), blood orange and a bergamot marmalade. All three are delicious.

Makes about 3kg (6 ½ lbs approx.)

Ingredients

About 1.5kg oranges (eg: Seville, bitter, blood orange) or a mix of citrus fruit in any combination, eg: oranges, clementines, limes, lemons, grapefruit)

Juice of 1-2 lemons (1 if you add a lemon to the fruit mix)

(For lemon marmalade you don’t need to add the lemon juice)

1.5 – 2kg granulated or preserving sugar, depending on how sweet you want it.

Glass jars and lids

Method

1: Wash the oranges (or citrus fruit) and cut them in quarters lengthways.

2: Cut each quarter widthways as thinly as possible (or as thickly as you would like).

3: Remove all the pips as you go.

4: Place the fruit in a large wide saucepan or preserving pan (large enough to boil the fruit safely) and cover with 2 litres of cold water and the lemon juice.

5: Leave to soak for 24 hours. This allows the peel to soften and the fruit to release the pectin.

6: After 24 hours, bring to the boil and simmer vigorously uncovered for 1 hour. This should reduce the liquid by about a third to a half.

7: Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar.

8: Depending on time, you can cover and leave for 24 hours, or on a gentle heat stir until all the sugar is dissolved.

9: Then bring to the boil and keep boiling for 15 minutes stirring from time to time to stop it catching on the bottom. If you have left it for 24 hours, stir well before heating to ensure the sugar has dissolved.

10: To check for setting point, either use a sugar thermometer (setting 104°C/219°F) or put a spoonful on a cold saucer. When mixture is cold, push it to see if it wrinkles.

11: Once the setting point is reached, remove from the heat and leave for 10 mins for the peel to settle.

12: Stir well and pot into sterilised jars. Top with waxed disks and seal with lids.

13: Label when cold.

14: Enjoy

Sterilise jars by washing them in hot soapy water and rinse well. Place in preheated low oven on their sides for 10-15 mins until dry, while the marmalade is boiling.

• 

• 

•