Oh Marmalade

Marmalade is a sweet preserve with a bitter tang made from citrus fruit, sugar, water, and (in some commercial brands) a gelling agent. In English-speaking usage "marmalade" invariably refers to a preserve derived from a citrus fruit, most commonly from oranges. The recipe includes sliced or chopped fruit peel, which is simmered in fruit juice and water until soft; indeed marmalade is sometimes described as jam with fruit peel. Such marmalade is most often consumed on toasted bread as part of a full English breakfast. The favoured citrus fruit for marmalade production in the UK is the "Seville orange", Citrus aurantium var. aurantium, thus called because it was originally imported from Seville in Spain; it is higher in pectin than sweet oranges, and therefore gives a good set. Marmalade can also be made from lemons, limes, grapefruits, or a combination of citrus fruits.


* Marmalade


1/2 pound oranges, preferably Seville
1 lemon
2 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Wash the oranges and lemon, cut in half and squeeze out the juice. Remove the membrane with a spoon, put it with the seeds, and tie them in a piece of cheesecloth. Soak the bundle for 30 minutes in cold water. Slice the peel finely. Put the peel, orange and lemon juice, bundle of seeds, and the 2 1/4 cups water in a non-aluminum bowl or saucepan and leave overnight.

Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer gently for about 1 hour, until the peel is very soft and liquid is reduced by half. Squeeze all the liquid from the cheesecloth bundle and discard it. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Increase the heat, bring to a boil, and cook until the jell point, about 5 to 10 minutes. To test the jell point, a sugar thermometer should register 220 degrees F, or put a little marmalade on a cold saucer and place in freezer for a minute. The marmalade should feel set and wrinkle when you push it.

Pour into sterilized jars. Cover, seal and store in a cool, dark place.


Have a good marmalade day!

Thanks foodnetwork and corbis