Nothing brightens a dark January morning like the bittersweet tang of marmalade. My granddad has been making an annual batch of marmalade for years, and now I'm following in his footsteps.
Growing up marmalade was always in ready supply and full of chunky shreds of golden, candied peel. My mum often tells me of a relative sat at my granddad's breakfast table carefully picking out the peel only to be reminded that my granddad had spent a lot of time and effort putting those shreds in his marmalade, thank you very much!
This recipe uses the whole fruit method, meaning that you start by boiling the whole oranges rather than chopping them up, which I find is an easier way to deal with the fruit, although this method will require added pectin to set the preserve as not enough will have been released from the fruit during the initial cooking. My recipe is based on the recipe by Pam the Jam from the River Cottage preserves handbook, however I find that while her recipe yields a beautiful flavour the set is often looser than I'd like, and I also prefer a darker, more caramelised flavour which is achieved by boiling the mixture for longer.
Recipe
Equipment
Plate (for testing the set, so it needs to be freezer safe)
Very large pan (I use a deep pasta pan as it's got the largest capacity)
Measuring jug
Long handled spoon
Scales
Large bowl
Sieve
Dessert spoon
Baking tray
Empty jars (around 6, depending on the size)
Jam funnel (mine is a plastic funnel with most of the spout cut off)
Ladle
Sharp knife
Chopping board
Ingredients
1kg Seville oranges (it is important to get Sevilles as you need their bitterness to balance the marmalade)
2kg jam sugar (or granulated sugar with 1 8g sachet of pectin mixed in per kilo)
2 litres water
Method
Scrub the oranges to remove any surface dirt and remove any remnants of the stem. Add the whole oranges to the pan and fill with the water. Bring the pan to the boil, cover then simmer for 1 and a half - 2 hours, until the oranges are very soft and can be pierced easily with the tip of a sharp knife. At this point put your plate in the freezer for later.
When the oranges are soft, fish them out of the water using a long-handled spoon and place in a large bowl to cool down for 20 minutes or so, until you can comfortably handle them. Remove the oranges and place a sieve over the empty bowl. A couple at a time, put the oranges in the sieve and carefully cut in half. The centre of each will be very soft, so let the juices run into the bowl below. Using a dessert spoon carefully scrape all of the centre of the orange into the sieve, leaving you with an empty shell of zest. Repeat for the remaining oranges.
Cut the zest into your preferred shed size, remembering that they may expand slightly when returned to the pan.
Once all of the zest is cut, and all of the juice has been pushed from the pulp and seeds, discard what is left in the sieve and return the juice and zest to the pan together with the sugar and stir everything together.
Let the mixture simmer to dissolve the sugar, then increase the heat to a rapid boil, being careful not to let the pan boil over. Stir regularly to make sure it isn't catching on the base of the pan. Keep heating for 30-40 minutes.
When the liquid has turned a pleasing amber and the mixture has perceptibly thickened it is time to test whether the marmalade is set. Turn off the heat and take your plate from the freezer spoon a small amount of the marmalade onto the plate and put it back in the freezer for 10 minutes or so to cool and (hopefully) set. While you wait, any bubbles on the top of the pan should have subsided. If there is any lingering scum don't worry, simply use a spoon to carefully skim this from the top of the pot and discard the bubbles to leave a clear surface. During this time you can also put your clean jars in a roasting tin and pop them in a low oven to sterilise. Do not heat the lids (as this will melt the rubber seal) but do give them a quick wash in hot, soapy water. When you are ready, take the plate back out of the freezer and starting at one edge run your finger through the sample of marmalade. If the mixture has reached setting point your finger should rumple the surface of the marmalade and leave a clean line on the plate. If the mixture runs back into the clearing left by your finger, or if there is no discernible skin on the surface of the marmalade bring the pot back to a rolling boil for 10 minutes or so and repeat the set test until you are happy with the result.
Take your sterilised jars and using the jam funnel and ladle, carefully fill each until almost full, leaving enough room for the lid to be screwed on without touching the contents, and avoiding any dribbles down the sides. Try to distribute the zesty shreds evenly between the jars and once each jar is filled, immediately screw on the lid (you may need a dry tea-towel or oven gloves to do this as the jars will be hot). Jars with a safety lid (which shows tampering) will make a satisfying "click" as they cool.
Store your finished jars in a cool dry place and use within a couple of years (if they last that long). It is easy to scale up this recipe, and I tend to make a double batch as apart from the chopping it really isn't twice the work.
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