This is the month when Seville oranges are in season, making it the month to make marmalade.
Making marmalade is not difficult; it is a little time consuming, and it does ideally need a sugar thermometer- but is highly rewarding.
The recipe below is based on one that belonged to my great aunt. She specified 7 Seville oranges but I think in those days the fruits were bigger. So now I measure the ingredients by weight
Seville Marmalade
1.5lbs of fruit including one sweet orange, one lemon and the balance being Seville oranges
3lbs gratulated sugar and mix in 1 packet of pectin powder (this is best done when both are dry ingredients)
Cut fruit into quarters and boil until skin is soft. If you have a slow cooker this is ideal – just put the fruit and 3 pints of water into the slow cooker, cover with its lid and leave gently simmering for 4 to 6 hours as necessary.
Allow fruit to cool, slice the fruit thinly discarding all the pips as you find them.
Put sliced fruit, the liquid and sugar into a large pan, bring to the boil whilst stirring (to prevent the sugar from burning).
Simmer for a couple of hours, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches 105C – this is where a sugar thermometer is useful. Otherwise you will need to judge the setting point by dripping the mixture onto a cold plate and seeing if it begins to set.
Ladle the marmalade into warmed jars. (You can either wash the jars and dry them in the ovens at 100C to warm and sterilise them or half fill them with water and microwave them till the water boils.)
You will now have about 7 jars of golden, slightly tart, delectable marmalade!
