Marmalade

Here it is! The seville oranges have been made into marmalade. I followed the River Cafe recipe, from their book River Cafe Pocket Books: Puddings, Cakes and Ice-creams, which I can't recommend highly enough. Brilliantly inspiring.

I soaked the oranges in water for 2 days.
Then gently simmered them for 4 hours.
Then (perhaps mistakenly) left them on the stove for a night and day (as life got in the way), and made up the marmalade in the evening.
By this time the oranges had collapsed onto themselves and were thoroughly soft.

I took out all the pips and courser fibres, and chopped into 1cm pieces. No fine shred here! Then weighed all the flesh, worked out what 2/3 of the weight was, and weighed out that much caster sugar.

Put sugar and fruit into a pan and simmered it for 30 minutes. I tested to see if there was a 'slow run' of juice when placed on a cold plate: bingo.

I cooled it for 5 minutes then put into sterilized jars (i put mine in the steamer. made them very easy to get out and handle).

I put plastic covers on straightaway, then read the instructions which said leave them til the jam has completely cooled. Not to worry.

Then left it overnight to cool.

In the morning - we had toast and marmalade - and it is really really very nice indeed.
I think I'm allowed to join the WI now right?