[NB: this article has been re-edited January of 2021]
It's been a while since I posted anything in here, but it's marmalade time and I'd like to share my 'new' recipe...
This year I have been experimenting with the 'old' family recipe - which created a very light, fresh-tasting brew - and have ended up with something a little darker and more... succulent?
You will need:
An apron and ideally a bandana. A large pan, a long-handled spoon, a measuring jug etc
800g Seville oranges (I use organic when I can get them)
1 lemon
2 litres boiling water
1.5kg granulated sugar
.5kg dark muscovado sugar. [To be honest, I just use all granulated these days - 01/21]
First of all, put the fruit in the freezer for 48 hours! This has revolutionised my marmalade-making this year.
Once de-frosted, slice all the fruit in half and squeeze the juice (just in your hand) into a small bowl - hopefully all the pips will come out too, but just check. Discard the lemon rind at this stage [2021 edit: I now keep the lemon rind].
Slice the rinds to whatever thickness you like (I prefer thin-cut myself) - cutting each half into half first helps - and put into a large mixing bowl.
Pour over 2 litres of boiling water and leave for 30 minutes or so, or until needed.
When ready to begin, strain the pips out of the juice and tie them up in a small piece of muslin. Pour the juice onto the chopped rinds. Transfer the rind and liquid to a large pan and drop in the bag of pips (tie it to a piece of string round the pan handle to stop it wandering).
Bring the pan to the boil and then simmer, covered, for 1 hour, followed by another hour uncovered. Stir once in a while to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom. The point of this is to completely soften the peel - you should be able to 'cut' a slice of peel just by gentle pressure with the spoon.
Remove the pips and discard.
Put six or seven 1lb jam jars into a warm oven.
Add the sugar to the pan, stirring well to dissolve it, then bring up to a good 'rolling' boil for 30 minutes.
DO NOT COVER THE PAN!!
Do not leave the kitchen - keep an eye on it!
After 30 minutes, turn the heat up to get a really 'volcanic' boil. Stir often so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. Beware spitting marmalade!
During the last ten minutes, test for set by dribbling a little of the juice onto a saucer and placing in the fridge. When ready, it should not slide down the plate if held vertically!
Turn the hot plate off, or move the pan to a cool part of the stove and leave for ten minutes or so, stirring occasionally to the froth dissipates. Then, using a glass measuring jug, fill your warmed jam jar with the marmalade, wiping away and dribbles straight away. Finally, slap the lid on whilst it's all still piping hot and leave to cool down. That's it! Apart from putting your label on it of course!
[2021 edit: now that I'm making marmalade on a slightly more commercial scale, I do double these quantities, in a much bigger pan...]
