Marmalade time!

[french frank]

Looks like a good slug of Jura, too.

You should have seen the photie that was taken 20 minutes later!

Well, I've fished some of the pith out of the pan and into the muslin bag, but somehow I scent disaster here ... . I may have some Bonne Maman jam jars going cheap

[mercia]

I never bother with those little greaseproof paper circles.

just remembered that was my other little job when helping mother, putting on those circles - aaahhhh! bless me

[Don Petter]

Sort of Hercule the Circule?

[mercia]

Sort of Hercule the Circule?

very good, have you been thinking of that since 16:44?

[Don Petter]

very good, have you been thinking of that since 16:44?

No, I'd been away from the silver screen for a while, trying to have some slight semblance of a normal life. Being of a somewhat warped mind, I thought of it 'Just like that'.

[Anna]

I think all your marmalade makers should enter this competition. I think it would be fun to have your marmalade judged

http://www.marmaladeawards.com/

[mangerton]

Google is of course your friend, but.... "champit" is the past participle of "champ". Champit tatties are mashed potatoes.

[french frank]

What happens if it doesn't seem to be setting on my cold saucer - how long should I wait?

[Flosshilde]

It won't set right away, but leave it about five minutes until it's cooled down (I usually put it back in the freezer) & then push it with your finger. If the surface has a skin that wrinkles when you push at it it's OK & will set. Remember that you don't really need something solid & jelly-like - just as long as it will stay on your toast (you only need a teasponnful on the saucer for the test)

[french frank]

Not that confident but I've switched it off anyway. The other two times I went on boiling it and it went dark and nasty tasting. At least it still tastes all right. I've stirred it and skimmed it and it's cooling

Well, the consistency is pretty much just like water. I don't suppose there's any point in boiling for another 30 minutes ...? No, I thought not

[Flosshilde]

If you leave it overnight you will see the next day if has set. I usually do this, following the suggestion of someone from Wilkins about getting a dark colour & flavour (not to me personally - printed in the Independent some years ago). If it seems to have set bring it back up to the boil & then pot it up.

If it refuses to set, you'll always have some delicious marmalade sauce for steamed puddings, ice cream etc!

[french frank]

Missed your last message. Well, perhaps it'll be all right in the morning then

[Flosshilde]

Also, even when you've potted it up & it has cooled it can still look a bit runny, but I've just looked at some I made last weekend & it is much firmer now.

But just to check, what was the proportions of oranges to water? & how long was the preliminary cooking (before you added sugar)? That usually reduces the liquid by about half.

[french frank]

But just to check, what was the proportions of oranges to water? & how long was the preliminary cooking (before you added sugar)? That usually reduces the liquid by about half.

2lbs of oranges (plus juice of two lemons) and 2 pints of water (should that have been 4? I thought it was supposed to be 4 but I miscounted ), including the overnight soaking water. I simmered it for 2 hours, after checking the peel after an hour and a half and it was still a bit hard. I was surprised that the liquid didn't seem to have reduced much - every time I took the lid off to make sure it was still simmering a load of the condensed steam sloshed down into it). It's already potted up now and made 8 1/2lbs, which was what I was expecting. I added 2lbs of sugar, and then another pound because it seemed a lot of liquid even then.

I consulted my "Awful Cook's Book' which suggested either it wasn't boiled long enough after the sugar was added (30 minutes???) or there wasn't enough pectin.

[Dave2002]

looks frightfully civilised chez ff

(i'm only jealous)

Looks like ff also has Danish blue and white plates etc.