Seville Orange Marmalade




900g Seville oranges
1 lemon
1.8kg sugar


Put 4 pints of water into a large heavy based pan.


Cut the scrubbed fruit in half, squeeze out the juice and remove the pips.  Place the pips and any loose pith on a square of muslin on top of a plate.


Add the fruit juice to the water.  Cut the orange peel into shreds depending on whether you like fine or thick cut.  As you cut the shreds place them in the water any pips or pith should go in the muslin square (the pith contains pectin which helps the marmalade to set).


Tie up the muslin square containing the pips and pith to form a little pouch,  tie this on to the handle of the pan so that the pouch is suspended in the water. Then bring the liquid up to simmering point and simmer gently, uncovered, for 2 hours or thereabouts until the peel is completely soft.

Next, remove the bag of pips and leave it to cool on a plate. Pour the sugar into the pan and stir it now and then over a low heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.  Now increase the heat and squeeze the bag of pips over the pan to extract all of the liquid.  Stir well.

Boil for 15 minutes, add a small knob of butter halfway to disperse any scum. then test by putting 1 tsp of the marmalade on a saucer and leave it in the fridge for a couple of minutes.  Push it with your finger, if it wrinkles its ready, if not boil it for a further 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Warm clean jars (without a lid) in the oven at a low heat.

Using a ladle or a funnel fill the jars with the marmalade to 1/4" from the top.  Put a wax disc on top and seal with a lid. The marmalade will not set until it is cool.  Wipe the jars with a damp cloth to remove any stickiness.

Have fun making labels.  My labels have a picture of me which was taken hundreds of years ago.