Orange marmalade
This recipe is from e-gullet. We really like it!
Christmas morning breakfast in my home would be incomplete without this wonderful marmalade. Mother’s recipe – again!
Start the recipe 2 days in advance.
4 good sized Seville oranges
1 sweet orange
juice of 1 lemon
1.8 kilos (4lb) granulated sugar (cane, not beet!)
2.25 litres (4 pints) water
Peel the oranges. If you like marmalade to contain thin shreds of peel then shred the peel finely with a sharp knife. For chunky marmalade, mince the peel in a food processor.
Chop up the flesh, squeezing (and saving) some of the juice as you go. Tie the pips up in a piece of muslin or other thin cotton material.
Put the peel, flesh, juice, pips and water into a large bowl and leave for two days. Then, pour into a preserving pan and simmer very slowly for 1½ hours, half covered. Meanwhile, warm the sugar in a cool oven.
Tip in the sugar along with the lemon juice. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, then turn up the heat and boil rapidly until set, about 20-25 minutes. Keep an eye on it in case it boils over.
Test after twenty minutes: put a spoonful onto a cold saucer and if, after a few minutes, it wrinkles when you push it with your finger, it’s done. If it isn’t, boil a few minutes longer and test again.
Let the marmalade settle for a few minutes, then fill about six warmed, clean, dry jars. Lay circles of greaseproof paper on the top of the marmalade and screw on the lids tightly. Label, and store in a cool, dry place. (But eat a little now – newly made marmalade is extra special!)
For extra tangy marmalade: omit the sweet orange and substitute two extra Sevilles.