Marmalade

January is marmalde time as it is the only time you can get the tangy Seville Oranges needed to make it over here. So last weekend we took advantage of the rain to make this years batch. I thought I would share the recipe with you as it is so straightforward to do and makes lovely marmalade that lasts through the year.

Ingredients:
1kg Seville Oranges (I get mine from Waitrose as no one else up here seems to stock them)
2kg Preserving Sugar (not Jam sugar)
1 Lemon

Stick your whole oranges in a large pan of hot water and simmer for 2 hours until they have gone all soft.
Once cool enough take off the ends and remove all the pips. Throw the pips back in the pan of water and bring to the boil for 5mins.
Meantime chop up your orange skins very small (I use the food processor but careful not to totally blend it)

Remove the pips from the boiling water and make it up to 3 pints.
Then add your chopped/blended orange peel and all the sugar and juice of the lemon. Stir this around until all the sugar has dissolved. Then bring the pan to a rolling boil and let it boil for about 45mins

While that boils place some plates in the freezer- you can use these to check it has set. Make sure your jars are clean and sterilise them by placing them in the oven for a few minutes. I collect my jars over the year so always have an odd assortment of them.

Once the marmalde has been boiling for about 45mins you can start testing it. Spoon a small amount onto an icy plate from the freezer, then push it to see if it wrinkles. If it does then your marmalade is ready to go, if not let it boil another minute or so and try again. You can then fill up your hot jars and put the lids on.

The marmalade should keep for a year or two if well sealed and kept dry. Let me know what you think!