seville orange marmalada

Step by Step - Seville Orange Marmalade

With their refreshing, sharp flavour, Seville orange make great marmalada. a bright, sparkling preserve. The season for Seville oranges is short, usually lasting only a few weeks in January. So it is worth making a batch of marmalade now to enjoy the flavour throughout the year. Cut the peel as thickly or thinly as you prefer, according to taste. This task should not be rushed and is one of the pleasures of making marmalade.


Ingredients for 3kg marmalade
1kg Seville oranges1 lemon 2kg Sugar
Step 1
Wash the oranges and lemon thoroughly, then dry them in a clean tea towel. Pour 2 litres cold water into a large, wide pan . Squeeze the oranges and lemon and add the juice to the water. Reserve the pips and orange rind, but discard the squeezed lemon.
Step 2
Cut the oranges in half again and, using a metal spoon, scrape the pith and pips into the centre of a large square of muslin. Tie the muslin with kitchen string to form a bag. Add to the pan and tie the ends of the string to the pan handle to make it easier to remove later.
Step 3
Cut the orange peel into strips - chunky for coarse cut and thinner for a fine shred. It is easier and quicker if you place 2 pieces on top of each other and slice with a sharp knife. Add to the pan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours, until the peel is very soft and the liquid reduced by about half. Remove and discard the bag with the pips and pith, squeezing as much juice as possible back into the pan with the back of a wooden spoon.
Step 4
Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until it has dissolved. Increase the heat and boil rapidly until it reachessetting point. This usually takes about 15 minutes. To test, remove the pan from the heat and spoon a little marmalade onto a chilled saucer. Allow to cool for a few seconds, then push with a finger. If the surface wrinkles it is ready. If not, boil for a further 5 minutes and test again. Leave the marmalade to settle for 15 minutes, then skim off any scam from the surface with a slotted spoon. Stir the mixture and pour into warm, clean jars, using a jug. Cover.

Prepare the jars
At the end of step 3, prepare the jars. Preheat the oven to 160°C, gas mark 3. Ensure the jars are clean and free from cracks and chips. Place the jars on their sides in the oven for 10 minutes, then turn the oven off leaving the jars inside until the marmalade is ready to pot.sowhsi