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I'm actually in the middle of making a batch of this stuff up right now using this recipe, which is my permanent marmalade recipe, as it makes gorgeous marmalade and it's really simple and cost effective...
Makes Approx 2kg (I double the recipe and it does 12 jars)
1kg (or just under) Seville oranges
2 lemons
1.7 litres water
1.4kg granulated sugar
1 heaped tsp black treacle
First, sterilise the jam jars: wash them in soapy water, rinse in very hot water, then dry in a very cool oven (130C/250F/Gas Mark ½). Alternatively, wash in the dishwasher, then open the door slightly and leave to steam dry. Turn the screw-top lids upside down to drip.
Wash all the fruit and put in a large saucepan with the water. Cover, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1½ hours or until the fruit is soft and easily pierced with a knife.
Transfer the fruit to a bowl, leaving the cooking liquid in the saucepan. Once the fruit is cool enough to handle, slice each whole in half. Use a spoon to scrape out the pulp, pips and most of the pith, making sure that the pulp is thoroughly mashed. Add all of this to the saucepan with the cooking liquid. Bring back to the boil and reduce by half. This will take about 20 minutes. Strain into a preserving pan or a large, heavy saucepan.
Slice the skins into thin or thick strips — depending on your taste — and add to the preserving pan. Clip the thermometer onto the side of the pan, and return to the boil. Now mix in the sugar and black treacle. Stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, then raise the heat and boil vigorously untilthe marmalade reaches setting point — 106C/220F. This will take about 5 minutes.
Leave to sit for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute the peel evenly. Pour into the warm, dry sterilised jam jars and cover with waxed paper discs. Seal once cool.
See THIS post to see some advice in case things don't quite work out straight away.
I have a steady supply of homemade marmalade, strawberry jam, and lemon curd,
from an old dear I know through Abbeyfield, it beats all the supermarket stuff hands down,
I even bake my own bread to put it on, mmmmmmmm...
If you use preserving sugar and use the little wax covers and make sure the jars are properly sterilised before filling them, by baking them in the oven, it will last for months easily.
I got 15 jars out of this batch, best flavour one yet. I replaced half the normal sugar with fairtrade brown can sugar, so it's come out a bit darker and nicer.
Cost to make 15 jars in total has been £6.00 to buy the same 15 jars from the shops with this quantity of fruit level, it would easily cost £15 so is a thrifty thing to do too and fun, although it is time consuming.
Ok, if the marmalade fails to set properly, which is quite rare provided the instructions are followed properly, but can actually happen for a number of reasons.... There are ways to correct it and make it set.
You can buy Pectin in liquid or powdered form online, which is the natural setting agent found in fruit, which is released when the mix hits a certain temperature. Sometimes, poor quality fruit can simply not have enough pectin, so the marmalade simply doesn't set, adding pectin can ensure it sets properly and doesn't cause extra work. You can also use tartaric acid which does a similar thing. Both are a pain to find in the shops (we found some liquid pectin in sainsbury today), so make sure you buy some in advance, online is best route to go.
Another reason for it failing to set can simply be that you didn't hit the 106 temperature, or that the reduction wasn't enough, or simply that their was too much water added. These can be fixed easily by putting back in the pan and making sure it does reach the temperature, that it was reduced enough and that there was the right amount of water added.
A simple plate test with the mix should let you know if the marmalade is right or not, a little dollop on a cold plate should set pretty quickly.
Make sure it is right before you put it into the jars, it's a pain in the arse to go through it all a second time and costs you extra greased bits and seals and the likes and the jars need sterilising again....
Ok, if the marmalade fails to set properly, which is quite rare provided the instructions are followed properly, but can actually happen for a number of reasons.... There are ways to correct it and make it set.
You can buy Pectin in liquid or powdered form online, which is the natural setting agent found in fruit, which is released when the mix hits a certain temperature. Sometimes, poor quality fruit can simply not have enough pectin, so the marmalade simply doesn't set, adding pectin can ensure it sets properly and doesn't cause extra work. You can also use tartaric acid which does a similar thing. Both are a pain to find in the shops (we found some liquid pectin in sainsbury today), so make sure you buy some in advance, online is best route to go.
Another reason for it failing to set can simply be that you didn't hit the 106 temperature, or that the reduction wasn't enough, or simply that their was too much water added. These can be fixed easily by putting back in the pan and making sure it does reach the temperature, that it was reduced enough and that there was the right amount of water added.
A simple plate test with the mix should let you know if the marmalade is right or not, a little dollop on a cold plate should set pretty quickly.
Make sure it is right before you put it into the jars, it's a pain in the arse to go through it all a second time and costs you extra greased bits and seals and the likes and the jars need sterilising again....
Do I detect that your batch didn't go so well this time round hehe?
Do I detect that your batch didn't go so well this time round hehe?
It has now, but it didn't set first time no. My thermometer broke and I tried being a smart arse and I should have known better. But it has worked now, yes. I'm not one for giving up.
Was just wondering, when is the best time of year to make this sort of stuff? Jam I presume would be early summer months, but not sure about oranges. I mean for cheapness of the fruit and british fruit.
To be honest Sash, I don't think there is really a lot of difference in price or availablility with fruit these days. They have such good storage methods now, that most kinds of fruit are available all year long and with relatively little fluctuation in price. Obviously if your after local fruits it is a completely different story and you would have to look at the UK fruit harvesting charts for any kind of accurate indicator, but if like me, price is sadly far more a factor than locality, then as said, most of the year is fine.
A lot of the guides I read, did say that February and March were the best time to get the best quality Seville oranges, which make the best marmalade, and you simply think Wimbledon (or just after it finishes) for the best time to get strawberries. Obviously things like blackberries, raspberries and the likes are very seasonal and vary hugely on location.
Home-made marmalade
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