6 Seville oranges
1 orange
10 cups (2.5 liters) water
pinch of salt
1/2 a vanilla bean
8 cups (1.6 kg) sugar
1 tsp brandy
1. Wash and dry the oranges. Slice all oranges in half (around their equator). Squeeze and strain the juice out of the oranges.
2. Gather the seeds (there will be a lot) and place them in a cheese cloth. Also gather any pulp and put it into the same cheese cloth. Then scoop out the pulp from the inside of each orange half and add to the cheese cloth. Tie the cheese cloth tightly, to form a ball. You may need to make two balls The pulp and seeds are important because the pectin they release are what help the jam reach setting point.
3. Dice the oranges into very small thin slices, not more than 1 cm long. They must be slivers.
4. In a large pot, add the orange juices, the muslin seed pouch(es), water, salt, vanilla bean and orange rind. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Boil for about 20 to 30 minutes until the orange pieces become translucent. Take off heat and leave for 24 hours. The muslin seed pouch(es) will release more pectin, which is good for the jam.
5. Add the sugar to the mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then bring to a rolling boil. Stir the mixture to avoid it sticking to the bottom. After 25 minutes, remove the vanilla bean and muslin seed pouch(es).
6. Continue to boil the mixture until the jam reaches setting point. Start testing the jam after about 40 minutes. It took me about 1 hour to reach setting point. You can test the jam to see if it has set by putting a small drop on a plate that has been chilled in the freezer. Return the plate with the drop of jam back to the freezer for 1 minute. After 1 minutes, remove the plate and look at the jam – if it does not stick to your finger when you touch it and has created a little film on top, then the jam has reached setting point.
7. At this stage, stir in the brandy to the jam. Let the jam cool for ten minutes, and then pour into jam containers. Close the jam containers while still hot and place in the fridge after 5 hours.
Such beautiful, beautiful photos! I’ve been wanting to make my own marmalade for awhile and this looks like the perfect place to start. (And looking at it makes me forget that it’s still ugly winter outside.)
Hi!!! Thank you!! <3 ooo! If you are checking out marmalades for ideas/inspiration/setting point times etc - last year I made Ina Garten's "Easy Strawberry Marmalade" (it was the first time I made marmalade and I was so unsure about the setting point, I seriously tested it like every 10 seconds). I loved it, totally straightforward, and people have still commented on that jam. Haha - totally agree that making jam makes it feel not-like-winter. ... (though (confession - don't kill me please) in Cyprus where there is like minimal cold, I sometimes long for the east coast cold!) xx
Have been making mamalade with “kitromila” oranges for the last 3/4 years usually make around 10/12 jars, I find that adding the juice of 2 lemons with the sugar helps speed up the setting time to around 10/15 minuites of a roilng boil, also I add the pulp chopped up to the mixture to give a lot more body to the marmalade. Imake different types of marmalade as I’m quite partial to toast and marmalade for breakfast, and make enough to last me for 12 months it keeps quite well in a dark cupboard.
Hi Ian, thanks for stopping by! Those tips sound great, and I am glad you commented so that others who make the jam (and me included in future) have those in mind. Do you have any tips for slicing the skin? I felt like it took me ages to get them down to slivers, and if I was to make it again, I think I would make them even thinner than I did so I fear it might take longer – unless I am missing some sort of secret bitter-orange slicing technique! I think the lemon is a fantastic addition. I debated adding it, but thought because I let the mixture rest overnight it had released enough pectin, but I think next time I would definitely add the juice of lemon because it took so long. Do you sell any of your marmalade? I am always on the look out for great, homemade jams!