Fruit and Vegetables
12 January 2016 by

This year’s Seville Oranges are in – and with the year’s first cold snap, there is no place better than stirring a large pot of seriously citrussy warm Seville Oranges.

Many of you may have recipes handed down from generation to generation, but if you are anything like us, we tend to try and wing it. So this year I have put together some handy Jam making tips to avoid runny marmalade that has been cooking for 8 hours.

 

  • Use a thick-bottomed pan that’s wider than it is tall
  • The quicker the better – so heat up your sugar before you add it to the oranges by placing it in a saucepan for 15mins at a moderate heat, but avoid caramelizing it.
  • Heat the oranges for 10 minutes before adding the sugar to evaporate water and ensure the rind has started to soften.
  • Never add water.
  • You can skim off the scum at the end

 

Here is a great marmalade recipe from Nigella Lawson

  • 2kg Seville oranges
  • 4 lemons
  • 7 pints water
  • 4kg granulated sugar
Method
  1. Put the whole fruit in a basin of very lukewarm water and a give them a good wash and a gentle scrub. Put the washed fruit, whole into a large a large saucepan or preserving pan. Add the water and put the lid on. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 1- 1½ hours. You should be able to easily pierce the skins of the fruit with a skewer when they are ready.
  2. Remove the fruit from the water and place on a large dish to cool down a little. With a sharp knife, cut the cooled fruit into quarters and scrape out the pulp and pips. Add the pips, the pulp and any obvious residual juice into the pan with the water that was used to boil the fruit. Boil the pips and pulp for a full 10 minutes and then strain. Retain the juice, but discard the strained pulp and pips.
  3. Meanwhile, put the sugar in a large container, roasting tin or bowl and put into a low oven to warm through. This will make it easier for the sugar to dissolve.
  4. Put your clean jam jars into the low oven to warm through ready for potting the marmalade.
  5. Chop or slice the orange and lemon peel to your favourite size and shape. Put the chopped peel into the reserved water. Bring to the boil. Add the warm sugar. Stir over a gentle heat until you are sure that all the sugar is dissolved. Bring this mixture to the boil and continue to boil rapidly without stirring for approximately ½ hour. You are aiming to reach setting point, (see below on setting point).
  6. Leave the marmalade in the hot pan for a short time until it shows that it is beginning to set properly. The peel will be showing signs of becoming “suspended” in the mixture.
  7. Carefully ladle the hot marmalade into warm, clean jam jars. These should have been warmed up in a low oven for at least 30 minutes beforehand.
  8. Seal the finished jars. To Test For Setting Poin: Put a small spoonful of cooked marmalade onto a very cold saucer. (Keep a few at the ready in the fridge or freezer). Allow it to cool a little and then push it with your finger, or, tilt the dish to one side. If the marmalade wrinkles up, it is ready.