MARMALADE

This is a classic, much appreciated old family recipe. It's packed with tangy flavour and has a chewy bite in the orange shred.

1. 1

   FIRST STAGE
   1. Wash fruit.
   2. Cut into halves then half again (or third for larger oranges) and remove PITH and SEED PIPS to keep for making extra pectin.
   3. Slice ORANGE PEEL into strips (decide at outset whether to cut chunky, medium or thin and keep each batch the same for even cooking), slicing LEMON more thinly than orange and put in large bowl.
   4. Check the peel for uncut chunks and an even thickness.
   5. Cover PEEL with cold water (not too much water - approx. 3 pints)and leave for 3-4 hours minimum or 24 hours to soak.
   6. Have JARS and LIDS washed, dry and ready for heating later.
   7. Weigh SUGAR into ovenproof dish for warming later.
   
   SECOND STAGE
   8. Add WATER to cover the mix of PITH and PIPS in small pan. Bring to boil and simmer 15-20 minutes.
   9. Either squeeze through a sieve or put into a piece of clean muslin and sqeeze out the PECTIN. Can take up to 3 squeezings by adding extra hot water to bag or sieve (approx. 1 pint water may be used throughout pectin extraction).
   10. Put SOAKED CUT PEEL into a jam pan or large pot with the squeezed pectin.
   11. Heat the SUGAR in oven for 15 minutes at 130 degrees C/ 250 degrees F.
   12. Begin to heat up the CUT PEEL and PECTIN mix with a lid on. Bring to the boil for 5-10 minutes to soften peel (check by extracting a piece of orange then lemon peel and pinch for softness with finger nails) then add WARMED SUGAR.
   13. Keep stirring with wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved then turn to full heat for a fast boil (newspaper on floor will catch splashes).
   14. Fast boil for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. At the beginning watch constantly so that it doesn't boil over, remove from heat if necessary then put back.
   15. Check for set at 20 minutes by putting a test drop on a cold plate and seeing if it forms a skin that will wrinkle if gently pushed with finger. Let boil for another 10 minutes and try again (another sign is when boiling liquid begins to spit). Relax! 30 minutes is probably enough (marmalade can set overnight or a very light set over several weeks) but continue to boil until you are confident that there are signs of a set - then remove from heat.
   16. Leave in pan for 30 minutes to cool, stirring ocassionally to dissolve skin.
   17. Put JARS and LIDS into warmed oven for 15 minutes at 100 degrees C / 200 degrees F.
   18. Use small heatpoof jug or suitable ladle to measure the MARMALADE into the jars. Fill to near the top. Screw lids on tightly, using a dry kitchen cloth to protect hands from heat, then turn upside down, then upright again, to vacuum seal for freshness.