Marmalade time!

[teamsaint]

Where do you stand on Lasagna and Lasagne?
.

well if you can walk on custard, standing on lasagna should be no problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN2D5y-AxIY

[Beef Oven]

well if you can walk on custard, standing on lasagna should be no problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN2D5y-AxIY

Weird.

[amateur51]

well if you can walk on custard, standing on lasagna should be no problem.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BN2D5y-AxIY

Eeee that were grrrand!

[Flosshilde]

Spotted Seville oranges in the greengrocer's on Saturday, so it's that time of year again! I'm away down south for a week at the end of the week, but when I get back it will be full (fragrant) steam ahead.

[Ferretfancy]

Spotted Seville oranges in the greengrocer's on Saturday, so it's that time of year again! I'm away down south for a week at the end of the week, but when I get back it will be full (fragrant) steam ahead.

Been there ! Done That ! I made several large jars at the weekend, but I'm still using up some bought marmalade while my product matures for a while. All done in one large pyrex bowl in the microwave adapting Delia's recipe. Good luck with yours, it will be delicious. Incidentally I was given a small jar of Fortnum's marmalade for Christmas. No doubt it was expensive, but I'm afraid it was very dull.

[amateur51]

Been there ! Done That ! I made several large jars at the weekend, but I'm still using up some bought marmalade while my product matures for a while. All done in one large pyrex bowl in the microwave adapting Delia's recipe. Good luck with yours, it will be delicious. Incidentally I was given a small jar of Fortnum's marmalade for Christmas. No doubt it was expensive, but I'm afraid it was very dull.

I invested in a jar of Fortnum's lemon marmalade with gin for some friends for their wedding anniversary. They were most impressed but it was no good for breakfast, I was told, gin and lemon being associated with an early evening ritual in that household, apparently

[David-G]

I found Sevilles in the shops last week, and made my first batch of marmalade yesterday. There is really nothing like the smell of cooking marmalade.

[Flosshilde]

My greengrocer has had them in for a couple of weeks. For the first time in 40 years I anticipate making it not with pleasure, but with dread. The only reason I will probably make it this year is because shop marmalade is, generally, pretty awful. (although a friend has recommended one made in Seville called La Vieja Fabrica, which can be found in Morrisons)

[vinteuil]

. (although a friend has recommended one made in Seville called La Vieja Fabrica, which can be found in Morrisons)

... sounds interesting. I am not allowed shop marmalade, because Mme v makes her own - which is excellent. But I occasionally hanker for Frank Cooper's Vintage, which was my default in my bachelor days.

Next weekend the house will be full of the smell of marmalade making, which is magical. I may however slip out to Morrisons and smuggle in la vieja Fabrica...

Why, Flossie, (if it's not prying... ) are you dreading the marmalade-making this year?

[Pulcinella]

First batch made here yesterday.
Second batch gently simmering away.
Lovely aroma permeating the house.

[Anna]

The only reason I will probably make it this year is because shop marmalade is, generally, pretty awful. (although a friend has recommended one made in Seville called La Vieja Fabrica, which can be found in Morrisons)

I bought a jar of La Vieja Fabrica (thick cut) a few weeks ago (Waitrose but Tesco also sell it) I'd say it's more like a conserve in that it's rather more liquid, and I was expecting more of a 'bitterness' but then I like a sharp, tangy, marmalade. Unfortunately a lot of commercial ones are too much like oversweet orange jam.
My neighbour is hopefully making a batch again this year, she always gives me a jar. As her husband was diagnosed type 2 diabetic she tweaked a recipe to use minimum sugar and I must say it's about the nicest I've ever had.

[cloughie]

Got the oranges and will be doing them dreckly - microwave recipe simples!

[David-G]

My father was a great marmalade maker, and made copious notes of his marmalade-making sessions. I have managed to extract a basic recipe from these notes, and use it with a few tweaks. I put a kilo of oranges in a saucepan, add 800 ml (28 fl oz) of water, and simmer gently for an hour (with the pan lid on). I then remove the oranges and note the volume of remaining liquid. I halve the oranges and scoop out the pulp - very easy after the initial simmering. I separate the pips from the pulp (that is slightly tedious, but important) and slice the peel, for which I have found a marvellous gadget. I then simmer the pips in a small amount of water in another pan, again with the lid on. I sieve out the pips - then the "pips liquid", the pulp and the peel go back into the saucepan. I make up the liquid in the saucepan to the original volume, by adding juice of blood oranges (this was my tweak to father's recipe). I then add sugar, but much less than is usually recommended - 1 kg of sugar per 1 kg of fruit. I then boil hard, with the lid removed, until the marmalade is ready. I find the "cold plate" test does not seem to work for me - but after a certain period of time (about 20 minutes?) the mixture suddenly darkens and thickens noticeably. This is the sign that it is ready. I then use a jam funnel to fill the pots, having previously sterilised them in the oven at somewhat over 100C for half an hour. I then take a small piece of cling film and cover the surface of the jam and the inner rim of the jar with it, to help exclude mould. (This is rather fiddly). That's it! Recommended for people who don't like their marmalade too sweet.

I tried the separate simmering of the pips because the usual muslin bag thing seemed too complicated. I think my way extracts more pectin, and there is a tartness from the pips which definitely improves the marmalade. Certainly the marmalade sets beautifully, there is no need for added pectin, or lemon.

[subcontrabass]

My mother always halved the oranges (and collected the pips to go in a muslin bag in the boil) and then sliced the oranges (using one of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmal...ladeCutter.jpg ) before cooking.

[David-G]

My mother always halved the oranges (and collected the pips to go in a muslin bag in the boil) and then sliced the oranges (using one of these: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marmal...ladeCutter.jpg ) before cooking.

That's a marvellous gadget! How does it work? How do you use it?

My peel-slicing gadget has more of a sleek modern look:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vacu-Vin-Slice-Vegetable-Slicer/dp/B009F5PUZ6

You lay large pieces of the softened peel on a large plate (or chopping board), then press the blades of the gadget down on it. The sliced peel goes up through the blades and is caught in the receptacle. A cinch! I sliced the peel of 10 oranges in just a few minutes. It's fairly quick to clean afterwards.