Sunday 6 March 2011

Traditional Orange Marmalade – Sliced fruit method

I know that the purists amongst you will be shouting, “where are the Seville oranges” but to be honest you can try this recipe with lots of different citrus fruit so why limit yourself to only one month in the year when the Seville oranges are available. Just replace with 1kg of the citrus fruit of your choice. The main difference between this and the, frankly easier, whole fruit method is that this version gives a clear result with brighter colours. So, it might take a bit longer but as with most things in life it is time well spent.

Ingredients
1kg oranges
75ml lemon juice
2kg sugar

Method
Give your oranges a scrub under the hot tap and remove the little green buttons. Next chop the oranges into half and squeeze all the juice out of them into a large bowl. Next cut the peel into as fine strips as you can. It is worth taking your time, as the finished result will be much better. Of course if you like yours truly chunky then cut as you desire. Top up the bowl with 2.5 litres of cold water and leave to stand overnight.

Next morning put all of the wonderfully smelling mixture into a preserving pan. Bring it up to a boil and then simmer gently for 2.5 hours over a low heat. By this time the pith will be super soft. Now it is time to add the lemon juice and sugar. Keep stirring until all the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat till the mixture is at a rolling boil. After about 25 minutes test for a set. I use the plate test (see Hints & Tips) to establish my preferred consistency. Leave to cool for a good ten minutes to ensure that all the peel does not rise to the top.

Place in sterile jars and seal immediately. Store in a cool, dry place and it should keep for up to two years.

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