Seville Orange Marmalade

 There is nothing like the smell of marmalade bubbling away to get the taste buds going and I have never found a shop bought marmalade to have anything like the flavour of home made. There are many ways of preparing the oranges, but I have found this to be the easiest and least fussy. I have used this recipe for many years and it has never failed. We always use Seville oranges which arrive in the shops in January and February, as they give the marmalade a lovely tangy bitterness, but you could use other oranges or citrus fruit if preferred. I never use preserving sugar as the oranges and lemon have enough pectin of their own to set the marmalade. If you wish you can replace some of the sugar with golden sugar which adds to the colour and flavour.

Ingredients

1.5kg Seville oranges

2.5 litres water

2kg sugar

I lemon

Method

Scrub the oranges to remove waxy coating then peel with a potato peeler removing only the outer layer of skin and cut this into thin shreds.

Cut the oranges and lemon in half and squeeze out the juice into a large heavy based pan. Tie the remainder of the flesh, pith and pips into a piece of muslin and add to the pan with the peel shreds and water.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours until the rind is soft. We have a thermal cooker so to save power and reduce steam on the boat we simmer for just 10 mins then seal in the thermal cooker overnight. When cool, squeeze all juice from the muslin bag into the pan.

Add 2kg sugar and heat gently, stirring, until it reaches a rolling boil. Boil rapidly for 15 minutes then test by putting a small amount on a cold saucer. If after a couple of minutes it wrinkles when pushed across the saucer with your finger, it is ready. If not boil a little longer.

Cool for 10 mins then pour into warm sterilised jars and seal.